Battle for Kitutu Masaba rages as senior party officials lock horns

 

Edward Obwocha, candidate for Kitutu Masaba on Ford Kenya ticket. photo by Stanley Ongwae, Standard

Kitutu Masaba Constituency is witnessing one of the most bruising campaign battles featuring three national party officials, a vocal national unionist and a lawyer.

But it is the friendly fire being witnessed between two senior party officials within the National Super Alliance (NASA) that is attracting even bigger attention.

The incumbent Timothy Bosire is the National Treasurer for Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party where Odinga is party leader. His rival Victor Swanya is the Deputy Party leader for Wiper Party, headed by Kalonzo Musyoka, Odinga’s running mate. Both are seeking the parliamentary seat, alongside six other candidates.

Kenya National Union of Post Primary Teachers (Kuppet) National Treasurer Edward Obwocha is also in the race for the constituency’s 93,000 votes.

Chairman of Kenya Social Congress Atati Kengere is also in the race and is not one to be underrated. Others in the line-up are lawyer Shadrack Mose, John Ratemo of Mazingira Greens Party and John Mwanga of Kanu.

Bosire and Swanya are working together for the sake of Raila’s vote but they have not been campaigning together, except when Raila was in Nyamira three months ago.

But some quarters say the rivalry could jeopardise the vote.

“What we are witnessing is laughable because the two are rivals who must work together in delivering Odinga’s votes, while at the same time, they should be working against each other to woo voters, each to his side,” says  Fredrick Ombaba, a local political observer.

However, the coordinator of Nyamira County NASA Presidential campaigns, Justus Omiti, says the rivalry has not affected the Raila campaign.

“Each one of them is selling his political ideologies to the electorate and it has nothing to do with the presidential campaigns which they are coordinating very well,” Omiti says.

And as the battle for the parliamentary seat rages on, the four other candidates are confident of defeating Bosire whom they say has not done much to the expectation of the people.

“I have a development record which I am sure he cannot match. Let him come out clearly on how he has spent the CDF monies,” said Swanya.

Mr Obwocha is optimistic that he will set a new trend in the political landscape, making him the fifth MP for Kitutu Masaba.

Kitutu Masaba has a history of allowing MPs to lead for only one term.