SHIFTING ALLIANCES: Lenku was quite courteous with Manje, but the latter never reciprocated
MCA claims Manje told everyone that it was not proper for non-Maasais to go for the governor and deputy governor positions in Kajiado, yet he is now going for the position of deputy governor
Whereas Kajiado North MP Joseph Manje is being praised in some quarters for his “brave decision” to team up with Dr David Nkedianye in order to bring in an all-inclusive leadership in Kajiado, one leader in Manje’s backyard is not impressed.
Nkaimurunya Ward MCA Waichanguru Ndirangu has no kind words for Manje, nor does he think the political marriage between his MP and Nkedianye will bear fruit. It is easy to see why. Waisha, as he is known to many, is a steadfast ally of Governor Joseph ole Lenku, who now fears that Nkedianye and Manje are out to eat his lunch.
Waisha, who is the Majority Whip at the Kajiado County Assembly, told the Kajiado Star that it was dishonest for Manje to tell the people of Kajiado North to back Nkedianye, yet throughout Nkedianye’s term as governor “he told us that Nkedianye was bad for us.”
He feels that Manje has betrayed the trust Lenku had bestowed on him. “Whenever there were positions in the county government that would go to the people of Kajiado North, they were always made in consultation between Lenku and Manje,” explained Waisha.
The MCA adds that Lenku was quite courteous with Manje. “Lenku always made a point of inviting Manje to all his meetings in Kajiado North, but we started noticing that Manje never reciprocated when it came to his meetings,” he says.
There appears to be no love lost between the Nkaimurunya MCA and Manje, who accuses the Kajiado North MP of being a selfish person. “It has always been about him and his selfish interests,” says Waisha. “He now wants to leverage Kajiado North votes to attain his goal of becoming deputy governor.”
Waisha has claimed that Manje has always nursed the ambition of becoming deputy governor, but wanted to first finish two terms as MP so that he qualifies for pension. “When he was ready to put his DG mission into motion, he called and asked me to consider vying for MP for Kajiado North.”
Waisha said he doubted Manje’s sincerity on the issue since, as he alleges, the MP has been sabotaging efforts of MCAs in the region. “Manje has always played a divide-and-rule game on MCAs in Kajiado North, instead of bringing them together.”
He also calls out Manje for alleged inconsistency. He gives an example of Livondo Nina, who was Nkedianye’s main challenger for governor in 2013. Livondo had picked George King’ori, a Kikuyu, as his running mate. “Then, Manje used to tell anyone who cared to listen that it was not proper for non-Maasais to go for the governor and deputy governor positions in Kajiado. What has changed now that he is the one going for the position of deputy governor?” asks Waisha.
His relationship with Manje suffered irreparably, Waisha says, when the MP poached a candidate from UDA, brought him to Jubilee and imposed him to contest the Nkaimurunya Ward seat. “That man does not even stay in Nkaimurunya.”
Waisha accuses Manje and Peter Mositet, Jubilee’s deputy leader, of orchestrating Lenku’s sense of alienation in the party. “I find it odd that Manje is the one now calling the shots in Jubilee, following its rejuvenation by President Uhuru Kenyatta, yet when we endured the Tanga Tanga onslaught here in Kajiado, he was nowhere to be found,” he says.
When Tanga tanga directed their onslaught against the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) in Kajiado, Waisha says it was left to him, as Chief Whip, and Lenku to campaign for it. “At best, Manje only offered lukewarm support for BBI.”
Out of five elected MCAs in Kajiado North, Waisha is the only one who never moved to UDA. He now alleges that it is Manje who incited those MCAs to rebel against Lenku and Jubilee and move to Ruto’s camp. “Some of those MCAs are finding the going rough as they seek re-election, yet the man who took them to Tanga tanga abandoned them and is now back in Jubilee,” he adds.
On his part, Waisha says he is confident of being re-elected even with his decision to follow Lenku to ODM. “My move to ODM has in fact been a blessing in disguise as I have won new supporters who are loyal supporters of ODM and who are not happy with Nkedianye’s decision to decamp to Jubilee,” he explains.
He says his track record in Nkaimurunya Ward speaks for itself. He gives an example of the Saitoti Hospital, in his ward, which has now been elevated to Level Four status. “The hospital has been equipped with theatre facilities and is now carrying out 15 to 20 operations daily,” he explains, adding that these are patients who previously used to be seen at the Mbagathi District Hospital, Kenyatta National Hospital or Kajiado Referral Hospital.
“The hospital also has dental and optical units, while the mortuary only awaits the delivery of equipment,” adds Waisha.
“Through the Ngong Municipality, I have been able to lobby for the construction of two kilometres of tarmacked road in Nkaimurunya Ward,” he adds.
Waisha is quite proud of the two-storey market that was constructed in his ward at a cost of Ksh40 million. “The market people are happy with this market as they were previously doing business by the roadside,” he says.
He also says that he lobbied former Energy Cabinet Secretary Charles Keter to have Kware area installed with street lights. “I also collaborated with the ACC, who reconstituted the Nyumba Kumi and Community Policing committees, which has seen a drastic reduction of crime in the area. Our people now feel safe,” says Waisha.
