By-elections shape up Ngilu, Kalonzo battle for Ukambani

By Paul Mutua

The just-concluded civic by-elections in Kitui and Machakos counties have reignited the scramble for the Ukambani vote.

The by-elections were widely viewed as a litmus test for Vice- President Kalonzo Musyoka and Water Minister Charity Ngilu, who have been embroiled in a supremacy battle in Ukambani.

After winning the civic by-elections in Mumbuni ward in Machakos and Matinyani in Kitui, Kalonzo’s Wiper Democratic Movement is confident. 

But Ngilu and her National Rainbow Coalition team refuse to go down without a fight and are said to be plotting a comeback.

Despite the fact that the candidates would only serve a maximum three months before official campaigns for the General Election kick off, the region witnessed rigorous campaigns as the by-elections served as a popularity gauge for the rivals in Ukambani politics.

Outdo each other

The by-elections saw Kitui West benefit from water tanks and water harvesting kits in last-ditch efforts to seek votes for Narc candidate by Ngilu, while Kalonzo sent emissaries like Joint Chief Whip Johnstone Muthama with promises of instant development.

Eventually, Wiper won in the Mutulu/ Matinyani/ Kalimani ward with its candidate Antony Kyalo Muthui garnering 1,776 votes against Kali Wambua of Narc who came second with 1,106 votes.

Ngilu’s party, however, did not field a candidate for the Mumbuni ward, which was captured by Wiper’s Gedion Kavoo with 1,958 votes against his closest rival Fred Lau of ODM who got 546 votes.

The by-election has set the presidential duel for Ngilu and Kalonzo at home, as they strive to outdo each other to command a formidable following in Ukambani. The contest will raise their platform to compete nationally with other presidential contenders.

A fierce game of political wit and power play is now expected to take centre-stage as the VP fights to maintain his political grip of Ukambani, while Ngilu, struggles to assert her position as the lioness of Kambaland.

Having been booed by WDM supporters at Matinyani a day before the close of the official campaign period, a bitter and seemingly shaken Ngilu warned her political rivals to “get ready for war”.

The Narc leader, who was accompanied by her associate Mutito MP Kiema Kilonzo in the campaigns, is said to have ridden on motorbikes in a door-to-door drive to woo voters in the ward that is viewed as the bedrock of Kitui County politics. Kalonzo opted to campaign through his allies.

Negative campaign

According to Kitui Mayor, Alex Munywoki, who is the only councillor elected on a Narc ticket in the municipality the by-election was a warning to Ngilu that her party’s popularity in the region was fading.

On his part, a former Cabinet minister and the Machakos Wiper team leader, Mutua Katuku, says the battle for Ukambani had effectively ended with victory for the Kalonzo team, which he terms as “a fatal blow for Ngilu”.

And former Cabinet minister Francis Nyenze and Kitui County governorship candidate Kennedy Ngumbau soon after the by-elections declared a “no nonsense war” against the VP’s detractors in Ukambani.

They asked Ngilu and Mr Kiema to respect Kalonzo as the leader of the community.

Mr Nyenze and Mr Ngumbau wondered why Ngilu and Kiema had chosen to belittle the WDM party leader by waging a relentless negative campaign against him.

“We have been monitoring Ngilu’s political malice at creating a wedge between Kalonzo and Kambas with a lot of concern. This must now end,” Ngumbau warned.

However, political observers believe the battle for supremacy in Ukambani has just begun, with a fierce contest expected in the run-up to the March 4 General Election.