Unforgettable: Kenya’s iconic constituencies

Money was scarce but passion was huge. There was no CDF, but they pushed the government to throw money at projects in their constituencies. When you heard the name of the constituency and the name of the MP, you knew what they stood for.

You could instantly tell if they were hopeless sycophants of the then ruling party Kanu or if they were indefatigable rebels pushing for multi-party democracy. There was no middle ground. A politician was either in government or in the opposition.

The unity of parliamentarians was a non-issue. It wasn’t even there, because, a good chunk of the MPs were in government either as Cabinet ministers or as assistant ministers. In 2010, Kenya got a new Constitution; and two years later 80 new constituencies were created.

Today, chances are that only a handful of politically savvy Kenyans can tell the names of constituencies of less than 50 MPs (the quorum for the National Assembly. There’s no band of renegades.

There’s no group like the ‘seven bearded sisters’, MPs who when they speak or who when they attempt to speak the government shivered, and the oppressed or disillusioned public celebrated. There’s no “people’s watchman”. It is a house where money talks and selfish political interests determine whatever thin political ideology there is in an individual MP.

And when it is about their welfare, the MPs come together like bees in a disturbed hive, and attack the threat and protect their

The Nairobian today looks at the MPs of some of those constituencies that had a big national profile because of their MPs. This is no attempt to disparage the current MPs, but it is an attempt to see how all politics are local.

Baringo Central

Every Kenyan, since the advent of multi-party politics knew that retired President Daniel arap Moi, was the MP for Baringo Central constituency. The Constitution then required that a President should also be a Member of Parliament.

When Moi retired in 2002, his son Gideon was elected as the MP, and in 2007, Gideon lost to Sammy Mwaita. Mwaita is a former Lands Commissioner but unlike his predecessors in the constituency, very few people would recognise him if they met him in the streets of Nairobi.

Bondo

This was Jaramogi Oginga Odinga’s constituency. Upon his death in 1994, his son, Dr Oburu Oginga succeeded him as the MP.

Oburu served as the MP for an uninterrupted period, getting re-elected, until 2013 when he lost to Gideon Ochanda. Ochanda is the current MP. Hands up if you can recognize Ochanda, if you bumped into him in the streets of Nairobi.

Butere

It was the home of the people’s watchman, Martin Shikuku. Shikuku, who died in 2012 even vied for the Presidency in 1997.

In Parliament, Shikuku’s legacy is the mastery of the Standing Orders. Some say, he was a master of filibustering. The current MP is Andrew Toboso.

Kiharu

Kiharu was the home of Kenneth Matiba, the man who came second in the first multi-party elections in 1992, and who served as the Leader of Official Opposition between 1992 and 1997.

Ugenya

Prominent lawyer James Orengo, now Siaya Senator, was the long-serving MP for Ugenya Constituency. His successor is David Ochieng’, that young MP, who like Orengo, is also a lawyer, and who brought an amendment to the Constitution to alter the election date, against his party’s (ODM) wishes.

His vibrancy in the House, and as a member of the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee have made him known, but not quite known as Orengo. He’d need decades to accomplish that stature.

Alego

Alego Usonga was the home of Peter Oloo Aringo. Aringo was that man who baptised retired President Daniel arap Moi “the prince of peace”.

He was a protégé of Raila’s father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, but when he (Aringo) became excessively loyal to Moi, they parted ways. Aringo is now a member of the Salaries and Remuneration Commission. The current MP for that constituency is George Washington Omondi Mallan.

Gatundu (South)

There are no prizes for knowing that this was the constituency of Kenya’s first President Jomo Kenyatta, whose son Uhuru Kenyatta inherited when he joined politics in 2002.

Uhuru had tried to vie for the seat in 1997 but lost to Moses Mwihia. The current MP is the vocal and foul Moses Kuria.

Langata

It is the city’s cosmopolitan constituency where mind-boggling affluence of Karen sits side by side with eye-watering poverty of the Kibera slums.

It used to be the constituency of Raila Odinga, before Kibra was hived off to be a separate constituency in 2013.

Mvita

Shariff Nassir of the wapende wasipende fame was a Kanu die hard and one of President Moi staunchest supporters. He was a household name in Kenya, because of his bald head, white mustache, diminutive stature and fierce defence of the Kanu regime in lyrical Kiswahili.

Mvita is today represented in parliament by his son, the urbane Abdulswamad Shariff Nassi.

Kitutu Masaba

While few Kenyans could point out Nyamira District on a map, they were all knew Kitutu Masaba, the den from which firebrand opposition politician George Moseti Anyona sprung to roar in parliament like a lion.

Anyona would be glad that the man who currently represents his people is ODM MP Timothy Bosire, who is equally a rabble rouser of note!