Western’s simple math for 2017: A ‘central bank’ for Luhyas only

Political leaders want economic revival in western Kenya to provide the missing stimulus for the region’s elusive unity.

The change of tack has stirred debate on whether the economy should be the impetus for a movement that will catapult a member of the Luhya community to the presidency by at least, 2017.

After a series of meetings following last year’s elections that have failed to strike a common purpose for sitting and former MPs, several leaders say it is time the economies of Kakamega, Bungoma, Busia, Vihiga and Trans Nzoia were realigned as a means of shielding voters against ‘the highest bidder’ vulnerability.

Muliro Gardens Kakamega

The disenchantment with a failure to field a presidential candidate capable of a serious political tango with Central, Nyanza and Rift Valley, played out last month when President Uhuru Kenyatta was in Kakamega for an iftar with Muslims during Ramadhan.

Besides the political class, wananchi in the region gave him a wide berth and at Khayega township, he was heckled.

Equally, when Cord held a rally at Muliro Gardens in Kakamega town, attendance was comparatively lower than in the past.

Mumias East MP Benjamin Washiali concedes the government and the opposition are having a difficult time making inroads into the area, which is endowed agriculturally, but performs dismally in national politics.

The new game plan now is to align regional politics to the economy.

Already, plans are underway for the first-ever local bank that will offer cheaper, short-term agricultural loans to provide capital for food production.

Although endowed with fertile soil and good rainfall, Western Kenya suffers perennial insecurity, something Webuye East MP Alfred Sambu says has to be stopped.

Poultry, dairy and fish

West Bank, the proposed name of the region’s ‘central bank,’ it is hoped, will provide loans to spur the development of maize, sugarcane, horticulture, poultry, dairy and fish farming, among others, enough for local consumption and ‘export’ to food-insecure counties.

“Poverty is an instrument of political marginalisation and the first step towards achieving homogeneity is the eradication of extreme economic want by ensuring people have enough to eat and sell for cash,” Sambu, a long-serving member of the parliamentary budget committee, said.

The move to establish a bank was sparked by the high interest rates charged by micro-finance institutions in the region.

In his opinion, Vihiga Senator, George Khaniri, says a bank is likely to spur economic growth in the region.

“I supported the idea. However, it will not necessarily result in Luhya unity. For us to achieve economic empowerment, we must seek political power. This is because our resources are exploited by political power wielders at the expense of local people,” says Khaniri, referring to the collapse of sugar, paper, dairy, cotton and maize industries in the area.

The industries were the economic mainstay of the region but collapsed owing to political interference and what locals believe to be sabotage through importation of the same goods and smuggling by state functionaries.

The economic initiatives come at a time the region is grappling with the headache of settling on a leader with national appeal, resources and endurance to tango with TNA’s Uhuru Kenyatta, URP’s William Ruto as well as ODM.

United Democratic Front leader Musalia Mudavadi, who came a distant third in the last presidential elections, and Ford Kenya’s Moses Wetangula, are yet to endear themselves to voters, which has forced residents to suggest the region should not field a candidate in the 2017 polls. Wetangula says the politics of the region is on the mend after decades of false starts.

“In the past, the governments have been obstinate and arrogant. We are no longer going to be confined to second place,” he told The Nairobian.

Weight of pessimism

Wetangula’s standing has dramatically risen since the last elections, to the point of nearly eclipsing Mudavadi in Western and former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka in Cord.

Vihiga MCA Ben Ombima says several political parties with roots outside the region are beginning to wilt under the weight of pessimism regarding the region’s stake in national politics.

“Some parties are dying as the region experiences heightened levels of sycophancy. There is also an element of political adolescence, especially by first-time MPs. They are excitable and cannot be trusted to rally the region behind a single political entity,” Ombima said.

The quest for unity had at the beginning of the year appeared to gain momentum with Ken Butiko, who failed to capture the Vihiga governor’s seat, steering the ‘Kizazi Kipya’ (new generation) movement to rally eligible residents to apply for national identity cards and then register as voters.

In Malava Constituency, which has 57 sub-locations and 74,000 registered voters, the campaign netted more than 1,000 new eligible voters  without IDs per sub-location. This translates into more than 60,000 potential voters.

Four million Luhyas

According to Butiko, these numbers would be a game changer if harnessed. It estimated that three to four million Luhyias do not have IDs or did not register to vote. Some 1.8 million voters registered for the last election, with only 1.3 turning up on polling day.

“These numbers demonstrate what a strong electoral bloc the region is. We would even form a party and invite other regions to lend support,” Butiko told The Nairobian.

Enthusiasm for a regional party has since cooled with Senator Khaniri saying the push to collapse all parties in favour of a unitary one is ill-advised.

“It is not parties that unite people. There are many parties in Central and Rift Valley, yet they voted for one presidential candidate. Unity of purpose is what is needed to prevail upon our different ideological persuasions,” he said.

Sambu says regional unity cannot be achieved in the face of a ravaging poverty in the region.

“We have mapped out areas that are economically at risk. We have to address poverty in these areas before thinking of wresting power from Jubilee. I have approached the government about the revival of Webuye Pan Paper Mills and the response is encouraging.Before December, the paper factory will be up and running,” he told The Nairobian, adding that he is lobbying for the construction of a fertiliser factory in  Western Kenya as part of a wider plan to achieve food security.