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With barely a month to the party primaries, major political fallouts are expected in Taita- Taveta County as candidates for various posts jostle to get a leeway to the August polls.
There is no denying the fact that the key parties in the country Jubille Party and NASA are having a hectic time trying to reconcile their supporters so that they can stick with the parties as formulae are being worked out to ensure that fairness in the party nominations prevail.
However there is still the scenario where some candidates are already throwing their nets wider in the fear that they may be rigged out for certain preferred candidates.
In Taita-Taveta County the political temperatures have been rising gradually with NASA and Jubilee setting the stage for a bruising battle.
For instance In Wundanyi constituency, four candidates are angling for the parliamentary seat on Jubilee ticket. However, given the time between now and April when the party nominations will be conducted, there is a high likelihood that some of these candidates might decamp to other fringe political parties which are supporting Uhuru Kenyatta but fielding candidates for governors downwards.
The four Pius Chorongo, Simon Mwachia, Eng Vald Mwakima and Eliston Mwasela were all at the Galaxy Resort in Voi town to welcome deputy president William Ruto when he toured the county on a fishing expedition a fortnight ago. However, it remains to be seen who among the four will weather the storm and carry the Jubilee flag to the ballot come August.
The scenario being witnessed in the country where some candidates have sensed defeat in the primaries in Jubilee strongholds and bolted to marginal parties supporting Uhuru Kenyatta, might as well be replayed in Taita-Taveta.
On the other hand, NASA candidates are positioning themselves to vie for the various elective posts and ready to wrestle leadership positions away from their Jubilee rivals.
Among the positions that have attracted the highest number of aspirants in NASA is the senator with four candidates from ODM and one in Wiper.
Joyce Lay(outgoing women rep), Johnes Mwaruma, Jeremiah Kiwoi and Richard Tairo are seeking election for senator in ODM party, while Eng Elijah Mwandoe is eying the same seat on a Wiper ticket.
However,a similar scenario in Jubilee could be witnessed in NASA where candidates who fear losing the ODM (the most popular party in NASA) ticket could bolt to other parties in the coalition and meet their rivals at the ballot in August.
Already there is talk that outgoing women rep Joyce Lay- all along perceived as a Jubilee mole in ODM- could finally decamp to JP. If that comes to pass, Joyce will complicate the political maths for Anna Kina who is eying the senator seat on a JP ticket.
Another bruising battle is expected between incumbent governor John Mruttu and outgoing Wundanyi MP Thomas Mwadeghu in the ODM primaries, which many believe will be hotly contested. Mruttu, considered the blue-eyed boy to ODM leader Raila- Odinga will not leave any thing to chance to win the party ticket which will be the acid test for his re-election in August.
Mwadeghu, the ODM whip, will also need to muster enough support to floor Mruttu in the party primaries and send the governor home before August polls.
Speculation has been rife that Mwadeghu could decamp to Wiper, fearing that the party primaries might be tilted in favour of Mruttu.
man to-man
However, so far Mwadeghu has been equivocal that he is not leaving ODM and is determined to meet Mtruttu mundu-khu-mundu in the nominations.
Speaking at Mwatunge while attending a meeting convened by Mwasima Mbuwa, a land Welfare support group in Mwatate, Mwadeghu vowed to meet Mruttu during the ODM primaries.
“I want to tell you here and now that I am not a coward and I will not leave ODM. I am ready to meet governor Mruttu in the primaries and send him home on the next bus to Taveta before the general elections”, vowed Mwadeghu.
Whichever comes to pass, whoever wins the ODM ticket will have to square it out with outgoing senator Dan Mwazo for the governor seat.
Mwazo, a project of Taveta MP Naomi Shabaan and KPA chairman Marsden Madoka, has been another Jubilee mole in ODM, the latest signs being his being paraded in front of deputy president William Ruto in Voi by Shabaan and Madoka recently.
Mwazo’s statements during the event that “siasa ni masilahi” and “scratch my back and I scratch your back” were clear indicators that he has all along being salivating for Jubilee goodies.
Mwazo’s decision to decamp to Jubilee will deal a serious blow to political minnows who are also eying the gubernatorial seat on JP ticket Faustin Mghendi and Jared Nzano.
All in all, many see the governor’s race in Taita-Taveta County as a two- horse race. Either Mruttu and Mwazo or Mwadeghu and Mwazo.
Captions: top to bottom:
1. Sen Dan Mwazo
2.Governor John Mruttu
3.Johnes Mwaruma
4.Anna Kina
5.Simon Mwachia
6.Pius Chorongo
7.Eng Vald Mwakima
Thou fool,that which thou sowest is not quickened except it die.
And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain;
it may chance of wheat or of some other grain..
1 Corinthians 15:36