Is scramble already on for votes in Central?

By Moses Njagih

Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s visit to Central Province at the weekend is likely to renew the scramble for the vote-rich region ahead of the 2012 General Election.

With President Kibaki approaching the end of his second and final term, his Central Province backyard is being considered a rich hunting ground for those eyeing the presidency. Raila appears to be trying to capitalise on the differences between political leaders from the region, where some MPs, notably in Murang’a, have been opposing Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, considered by another group as the heir apparent to Kibaki in Central Province politics.

This was most telling by the fact that Maragua MP Elias Mbau, a strong critic of Uhuru, hosted the PM even though the climax of Raila’s visit was a rally at Kangari in Kigumo constituency.

Mr Jamleck Kamau, an ally of Uhuru who was away on an official visit to Australia, represents the constituency in Parliament. Mr Kamau had welcomed the visit, but on condition it would not be a political tour.

Though many legislators from the region kept off the visit (only Mbau and Kiambaa’s Stanley Githunguri attended the rally at Kangari), Raila appeared keen to woo the people.

From the moment he walked past Chania Bridge, which has over the years been considered as the boundary for the Kiambu and Nyeri power politics, Raila knew he was venturing in a region that has in the past been hostile towards his political bid.

He was thus cautious not to be seen to harbour any political differences with any of the region’s political leaders.

Throughout, Raila also recognised Murang’a as the home to some of the country’s fiery politicians, whose ideologies he said he was aligned to.

He named Chege Kibachia, James Mbiuta, Bildad Kaggia, Charles Rubia and Kenneth Matiba as important people in the country’s struggle for Independence and the Second Liberation.

And in what appeared as a swipe at those who had earlier expressed their opposition to his visit, Raila said he was, besides being the country’s PM, muthoniwa (an in-law) of the Kikuyu community, and thus did not require permission to visit Central Province or any other region for that matter.

"Does anyone require a permit to go and visit his in-laws?" posed Raila at every stop he made.

Kibaki tosha

The nine ministers and more than ten legislators who had accompanied the Prime Minister reached out to the Kikuyu community to support Raila, with many reminding the attendants that it was Raila’s Kibaki Tosha declaration that made the President win in 2002.

Mr Githunguri also reminded the populace that Raila’s father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, had vouched for Jomo Kenyatta and declined to form the Government in 1963 unless Kenyatta was freed. Gihunguri said it was time for the Kikuyu to return the favour and support Raila’s candidature. Raila promised coffee farmers that debts they owe financial institutions would be written off, among other goodies.

Cooperatives Development Minister Joseph Nyagah, who accompanied Raila yesterday, said the response and good turn out that the tour marshaled was an indication that residents in Central Kenya were opening up to other leaders hitherto considered outsiders.

"This is how the negative image that has tainted the community will be eroded," said Nyagah.

The minister said by embracing and exchanging ideas with leaders from outside the region, the community will make informed decisions on whom to support in the future.

Mr Mbau termed Raila’s tour a success, saying the residents were much interested in the development agenda.

"We do not want to play cheap politics and that is why some of us encourage politics of inclusivity. Central Province does not belong to anyone and its people have not appointed anyone as their kingpin," said Mbau.

He added: "The PM has promised us that a number of our roads that we had singled out in our memorandum will be constructed, health facilities upgraded and coffee debts waived. What have those who were opposed to the visit given us other than empty rhetoric," posed Mbau.

But politicians allied to the Uhuru camp played down Raila’s visit, saying it was inconsequential to tilt the region to his favour.

A close ally of Uhuru and former Gatanga MP David Murathe termed the tour an anti-climax.

Mr Murathe said the PM’s major undoing was visiting the region when his relationship with President Kibaki was cold.

He said Raila had to constantly invoke the names of Kibaki and Matiba to be perceived as being in a good relationship with leaders from the region.

Timing wrong

"His timing of the visit was wrong. Coming at a time when he has openly showed that he is in collision with President Kibaki does his forays more damage than his supporters think. His invoking of Kibaki’s and Matiba’s names was meant to hoodwink the residents, but trust me they understood it too well," said Murathe.

He said though Uhuru was not guaranteed the entire support of the Mt Kenya votes, they believed he was far ahead of "any other pretender" seeking the support of the region.

"Meanwhile, the weekend visit appears to have left in its wake discontent among ODM supporters, especially branch officials who now claim they were ignored.

Some officials who expected to be recognised at the function expressed concern that they had been kept in the dark concerning the whole arrangement, with its organisation being co-ordinated elsewhere.

However, the Prime Minister’s Director of Communications Dennis Onyango said the visit was not a party affair, but an official visit to Kigumo District.

Additional Reporting by Boniface Gikandi