You’re a small man, Gusii leaders and elders tell Simba Arati

Dagoretti North MP Paul Simba Arati has dug himself into trouble after proclaiming desire to be the Gusii community spokesman.

Now, leaders in Kisii and Nyamira are dismissing him as not only an outsider, but also one who ranks way below many of them in the community. Already, some NASA leaders are reading mischief, claiming Arati’s new drive is a plot pushed to have him as the coalition point man in the region. Kisii Deputy Governor Joash Maangi has termed Arati’s plans as preposterous self-proposition.

“You cannot declare yourself as the community spokesman, you must be proposed. The community itself must come up with the idea. I see this as self-aggrandisement,” said Mr Maangi.

James Matundura, the chairman of the Gusii Council of Elders, told Saturday Standard there are senior leaders like governors James Ongwae (Kisii) and John Nyagarama (Nyamira) and Senator Sam Ongeri who are more deserving of the position than Arati.

“Even if we were to choose a community spokesman, Arati will not feature anywhere. We have senior leaders who are more qualified to hold that position than him,” said Mr Matundura.

Choosing of the spokesman, he said, is an elaborate process which will involve all elected leaders. “We are surprised by reports that Arati is planning to be crowned as the Gusii community spokesman, yet he has not been endorsed by representatives of the community,” he said.

The position of community spokesperson has been vacant since former Cabinet Minister Simeon Nyachae retired from politics. Meetings to find a new one have been bogged down by quorum hitches.

But Arati insists his quest is unstoppable, claiming he enjoys the support of the youth, women and the elderly.

“My interest in becoming the spokesman is inspired by my aspiration to unite the community so that we can speak in one voice, just like other major communities in the country as I look at the bigger picture of one day becoming Kenya’s president,” said the Dagoretti North MP.

A close ally of NASA leader Raila Odinga, Arati wants his colleagues from the region not to feel threatened. He does not intend to shift his political base from Nairobi to Kisii though. An MP from the region said Arati is being sponsored by ODM as part of a strategy to have a new line-up of leaders to replace those who did not attend Raila’s “swearing-in” ceremony. “We are aware that Arati is being groomed to take over as the spokesman to galvanise the region ahead of 2022,” he said.

Kitutu Chache South MP Richard Onyonka believes Senator Sam Ongeri fits the bill for the position. “Arati does not qualify to hold the Gusii spokesman position at the moment. He is young and does not understand the dynamics of Gusii politics since he has been away from the region for a long time. The only suitable candidate is Ongeri,” said Mr Onyonka.

Nyaribari Chache’s Richard Tongi and South Mugirango’s Silvanus Osoro have also waded into the debate. Arati should seek the wise counsel of Nyachae who has served as the Gusii community spokesman in the past before he retired from politics,” said Mr Tongi.