Aspirants roll up sleeves for Kajiado race

Kajiado North Parliamentary seat aspirants.

By Joe Kiarie

A bruising political contest is in the offing in Kajiado North constituency as politicians fight out to inherit the seat left vacant following former MP George Saitoti’s death in June this year.

The run-up to the September 17 by-election is characterised by major political re-alignments and party hopping as contenders seek the nod of parties they believe will land them the seat held by the former Internal Security minister for the last 24 years.

With the popularity of Saitoti’s PNU having dwindled since his demise, Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta’s TNA is emerging as the party of choice, with key candidates battling to vie on its ticket. Some candidates are also seeking endorsement of URP’s William Ruto, who is yet to endorse any.

And as an indication of how popular Saitoti’s leadership style was, the contenders are basing their campaigns on promises to build on the development and leadership foundation he laid.

His multi-ethnic approach to politics is also proving to be a decisive factor, with most contenders trying to ape it by claiming to have Maasai and Kikuyu roots.

 

Tough race

Among the politicians who have declared their interest in the seat are Reverend Moses ole Sakuda as well as businessmen Solomon Kinyanjui, Francis Gitau Parsimei, Anthony Keen, Rhonest ole Ntayia, Salaon ole Kashorda, Peter ole Mositet, Joseph Manje, Philip Wuantai, Hamilton Parseina, and Joseph ole Simel.

With the number of contestants set to rise, there is disquiet among candidates who hail from the more cosmopolitan northern side of the vast constituency. They feel their colleagues from the newly established electoral areas in Kajiado North are opportunists who will only play the spoiler role in the polls and should wait for the General Election to vie.

The constituency was divided into north, east and west, breaking the competition levels since Sakuda had declared he would vie in Kajiado West, while Ntayia was to vie in Kajiado East. However, the two changed their minds and joined the race following Saitoit’s death.

Sakuda, who gave Saitoti a rare political scare on an ODM ticket in 2007, has already hit the campaign trail confident of a win. He is said to have secured Uhuru’s nod as the TNA candidate after decamping from ODM. Uhuru is believed to see Sakuda as a more acceptable candidate to help TNA secure its first parliamentary seat.

He is optimistic he will win over the confidence of most Kajiado North voters on a TNA ticket, stating the party has a national outlook. Sakuda explains he ditched ODM after the party reneged on its promises to him.

“I believed in ODM policies but its leaders left me alone in my petition after the 2007 polls saga. They also broke all promises they had made to the Kajiado people through me,” he says, insisting he won the 2007 polls.

Ntayia says his interest in Kajiado North is triggered by his desire to try and complete projects left behind by his mentor and friend, Saitoti, some of which are in the newly created constituency where he is set to shift base.

“Projects aside, I want to use my vast exposure as a public servant, education and experience to consolidate the harmony Saitoti worked so hard to build in a constituency inhabited by a diverse ethnic groups.

Ntayia is a senior manager with the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Services. He previously worked with the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute as a Senior Research Officer.

Kinyanjui, who hails from Embulbul in Ngong, will be vying on a PNU ticket. The 50-year-old international trade consultant vied on a Democratic Party of Kenya ticket in 2007, but later joined Saitoti’s PNU. He ditched the party for TNA after Saitoti’s death but has now returned to the former after what he sees as betrayal by the Deputy Prime Minister in the tussle for TNA ticket.

The said betrayal happened mid-July during the launch of Olkejuado County Council Chairman Taraiya ole Kores’ Kajiado governorship bid, when Uhuru arrived alongside Sakuda in the same chopper.

Double-speak

“Uhuru had insisted he had no preferred candidate and would let us fight out in the nominations but this is double speak as his actions are indicating otherwise. He has also openly endorsed Kores for the governor’s seat when there are other candidates in the race. I would have liked to work with him but I felt I was being duped. This is not democracy,” says Kinyanjui.

In PNU, Kinyanjui will have to fight out for nomination alongside Keen, a son of veteran politician John Keen. The younger Keen has joined elective politics hoping to propagate his father’s legacy in Maasailand.  The 49-year-old, who hails from Nkoroi in Ongata Rongai, vows to uphold Saitoti’s record and says his multi-racial background gives him an edge over his opponents.

“I have a white grandfather, a Maasai grandmother and a Kikuyu mother. I feel more Kenyan and just like Saitoti did, I promise to serve all without discrimination,” Keen says.

In TNA, Parsimei and Manje will be hoping to wrestle the party’s ticket from Sakuda. Parsimei, who emerged third in 2007, is an urban manager who boasts of an impressive record in community empowerment within Kiserian area.

Party factor

The outspoken leader explains he will stick with TNA despite stiff competition, as he believes it is the party that will dictate the winner.

“TNA is the party of choice and whoever is nominated by the party will be the man to beat. Personally, I have a demonstrable development record as an ordinary mwananchi and I believe this will seem me through,” says Parsimei.

Manje, an educationist and investor in real estate has joined politics after a stint with the Teachers Service Commission. He served as a TSC commissioner between 2003 and last year and believes his academic qualifications and experience in government gives him a leadership edge over his rivals.

On his part, Kashorda, a Christian who will be vying on Musalia Mudavadi’s United Democratic Forum ticket, will be using the church as his support base. The Matasia native notes that it is time for leaders who have the welfare of the public at heart to stand up and be counted.

Mositet of ODM is an engineer and a Kiserian native who has had a go in politics in the past while Ntayia, a newcomer, was Saitoti’s confidant for many years. On Saturday, ODM said it had cleared Mositet to run.

—Additional reporting by Joe Ombuor