Beyond Ocampo Two: Aspirants who stand a chance in elections

By Juma Kwayera; Stephen Makabila and Gakuu Mathenge

‘Phantom’ Mudavadi loves surprise

To his former football and rugby teammates at Nairobi School, Deputy Prime Minister and Local Government Minister Musalia Mudavadi is ‘Phandom’, a nickname that underlines his propensity to pop up where he is least expected.

Until three months ago, friends and foe of the Sabatia MP never expected him to challenge ODM leader Raila Odinga for nomination to run for president.

Two months into his aggressive push for the party ticket, the perceptions have radically shifted as the party braces for most tricky ODM primaries. He is putting up a secretariat in Lavington to co-ordinate his campaign whose theme is devolved power and resources.

Mr Mudavadi is see as a sober and consistent politician with support that transcends regional and ethnic barriers.

Inside ODM,he has had to put with condescending officials who had even plotted to oust him as deputy leader in favour of someone from either Central or Eastern provinces. The scheme rattled the less controversial but decisive gentleman.

After he lost the Sabatia seat in 2002 polls, he declined nomination by Kanu, despite pressure. In the same manner, he has resisted calls to leave ODM and run on a different party.

Born in 1960, Mudavadi, a holder of Land Economics degree from University of Nairobi, first made it to parliament in 1988 following the death of his father, then Minister for Local Government Moses Mudavadi.

He made it to the Cabinet as minister for Supplies and Marketing and later Minister for Transport, Finance, and Local Government.

Without Uhuru, Karua sweeps Central

Martha Karua the Gichugu MP is remembered for being one of the greatest defenders of President Kibaki during the first and part of his second term in office.

Remembered as a pro-reform leader Karua who is running for President could come in handy as an alternative for Central Province if the worst come to the worst.

Karua’s consistent position on the ICC issue, which has projected him as an opponent of Uhuru Kenyatta, will however work against him.

The former Justice Minister is also feared for being politically combative and repulsive. Her fearless nature and nationalistic credentials is however endearing her to many more especially those from outside Central province.

Though Uhuru Kenyatta hardly ventures outside Central province politics Karua has even been in Nyanza to sell her agenda to the lakeside region.

For Kalonzo it is mistrust that could ruin his chances

Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka is the leader of Wiper Democratic Movement party, which changed name from ODM-Kenya.

Kalonzo became VP after joining President Kibaki following the disputed 2007 Presidential elections.

His supporters believe that Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and Eldoret North MP could favour him as a compromise candidate as he has expressed extreme sympathy to them over the International Criminals Court issue.

On the day the ICC released its decision on the confirmation charges Kalonzo drove to Uhuru’s home to express solidarity with him before driving to Karen to see Ruto.

This is on top of the shuttle diplomacy tours in about 25 countries to plea for the deferment of the two cases.

Further Kalonzo is seen as the pillar on which President Kibaki drew legitimacy for his second term after confusion reigned as the ODM contested his controversial win.

To this end his supporters are expecting that the Kikuyu community will see him as a "njamba" and so if Uhuru endorsed him marketing him in Central Province will not be difficult.

Ambitious Wamalwa claims seat at high table

Saboti MP, Eugene Ludovic Wamalwa, is one of the youthful leaders nursing presidential ambition.

After the death of his elder brother and then Vice-President Michael Kijana Wamalwa in 2003, Eugene a lawyer vied in the subsequent by-election.

In the by-election, Eugene vied for the seat under little known Republican Party of Kenya after failing to secure the Ford-Kenya ticket. Davis Nakitare of Ford-Kenya won the by-election

Eugene again contested the Saboti parliamentary seat on a Ford-Kenya ticket under the PNU umbrella in 2007 and won. Last year, Eugene dumped Ford-Kenya due to leadership wrangles between him and Foreign Affairs Minister Moses Wetangula and joined New Ford-Kenya, which he intends to use as his presidential vehicle.

His critics believe he is inexperienced since he is just serving his first term in parliament. There are also claims he is not financially strong enough to fund his own campaigns.

Successive opinion polls have, however, placed Eugene at two per cent.

Wamalwa is a University of Nairobi law graduate. His clients include Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni.

Will his credentials propel him to State House?

Internal Security Minister George Saitoti’s plunge into the presidential race has unleashed new dynamics in the PNU constituency.

Saitoti is seen as a product easy to market in Central Province due to his Kiambu roots and could fit the bill if Uhuru and Ruto endorsed him as compromise candidate. The minister is a close associate of President Kibaki and can easily inherit his supporters and allies.

Due to his Maasai links selling Saitoti in Rift Valley is viewed as something that can be successful having worked with former President Daniel Moi for years.

He is the chairman of cabinet sub-committee on ICC and has been very defensive and, therefore, offers the amount of trust required to deal with the ICC in a post Kibaki administrations.

Due to his age Saitoti presents a formation that can give room to negotiations for a one term President giving both Uhuru and Ruto an opportunity to try their luck in the 2017 elections once the ICC cases are dispensed with. Further,Saitoti has a deep pocket and will not rely much on third parties for his own campaigns.

Saitoti was born in 1945. He studied at Mang’u High School and received his undergraduate education in the US at Brandeis University on a Wien Scholarship.

Saitoti obtained a PhD in Mathematics from the University of Warwick in 1972 in algebraic topology.