Lenku’s open ethnic mobilisation (pitting Maasais against Kikuyus and other communities against Kikuyus) will definitely be put on the weighing scale when Azimio comes down to decide, who between him and Nkedianye will carry the day
The Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya Coalition Council met at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), on Thursday morning, where a number of resolutions were read out to the public. One of the resolutions will soon have a direct bearing on the shape and form of politics in Kajiado.
The Coalition’s NEC was, among other things, directed to prepare a campaign strategy and plan that will ensure that Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya forms the majority in Parliament and all 47 county assemblies.
This is a very important point that all aspirants in the Azimio Coalition, in Kajiado, need to take at heart. In the quest to have a majority both in parliament and in the county assemblies, the coalition cannot afford to field two candidates, in certain positions, when the Kenya Kwanza Coalition has one candidate. That would be tantamount to committing political suicide.
This is where Kajiado Governor Joseph ole Lenku comes into play. When he bolted from Jubilee to ODM, he was avoiding facing Dr David Nkedianye in a nomination contest in Jubilee. Whether he would have won or lost, is neither here nor there. Judging from Azimio’s latest statement, there is now a distinct possibility that the inevitable will happen.
One way or the other Lenku and Nkedianye will have to face off, in order to decide who will meet Kenya Kwanza’s Katoo ole Metito on August 9. The governor’s seat is too important to Azimio; there is no way the coalition will risk fielding both Lenku and Nkedianye in the General Election.
Right now, there exists so much bad blood between the Jubilee and ODM wings of Azimio in Kajiado, yet they belong to the same coalition. It will be recalled that, two weeks ago, Lenku’s faction organised the failed demo against Kajiado North MP, Joseph Manje, in Kitengela, a clear example of malice.
It is also plainly obvious that Moses Konana, ODM’s Kajiado West aspirant, nearly disrupted Moses ole Sakuda’s senatorial launch with the express blessings of Lenku. When Azimio finally stamps its authority, a number of candidates in Kajiado will be forced to eat humble pie.
In a bid to cement his position in ODM and perhaps curry favour with top leadership in Azimio, Lenku has been inviting guests in Kajiado, to create impression that he occupies a favoured position within the coalition. Some of his guests have been John Mbadi and Edwin Sifuna, chairman and secretary general of ODM respectively.
Missing in the guest list was Suna MP Junet Mohamed. Now, Junet packs a lot of influence both ODM and Azimio, where he is the spokesman. Had it been Junet who had been invited to Iloodokilani and he said the endearing things Mbadi and Sifuna said about Lenku, then the Nkedianye camp would have reason to worry.
Mbadi and Sifuna’s influence does not go beyond ODM.
Next to be invited was Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka, who graced Moses ole Birisha’s MP launch in Kajiado Central. Speakers during the event, particularly Tarayia ole Kores, were competing to get Kalonzo’s attention, puffing up Lenku’s chances of retaining his seat.
What Lenku and co forgot is that Kalonzo is himself fighting for the DP slot within Azimio, with serious challenge from Narc-Kenya’s Martha Karua. A better illustration of Kalonzo’s lack of influence within Azimio, came the other day when he purported to endorse Richard Ngatia as Azimio’s governor candidate for Nairobi, only for Ngatia to be tossed aside and be replaced with Polycarp Igathe, Sonko’s 2017 running mate.
Last month, we reminded Lenku that Uhuru Kenyatta is the overall chairman of the Azimio Coalition and when he keeps badmouthing Jubilee, he is not doing himself any favours. His open ethnic mobilisation (pitting Maasais against Kikuyus and other communities against Kikuyus) will definitely be put on the weighing scale when Azimio comes down to decide, who between him and Nkedianye will carry the day.
