Nzoia by-election humiliates Wetangula, Wamalwa

Ford Kenya led by Senator Moses Wetangula and New Ford Kenya led by Eugene Wamalwa were shocked during the recent Matumbei ward by-election in Trans Nzoia county where United Republican Party passed in the middle in December 29 2014 and took the seat.

Analysts say the combined vote of two candidates from Luhya community could have carried the day if unified in one basket. Aware the split in the community will work for his advantage, URP boss William Ruto dispatched senator Charles Keter to the region to take charge.

The seat that fell vacant after the death of Ronald Matongolo attracted five candidates URP’s Philip Sakong who got 2,882 votes followed by New Ford Kenya’s Judith Wakwabubi, the widow of late MCA Ronald Matongolo, with 2,320 votes, Ford Kenya’s Boniface Sifuna Khakila 1,564 votes, Safina’s Elijah Mucheru 29 votes and Stephen Kapkori of Agano party with only six votes.Announcing the result the Endebess Returning Officer Ms Joyce Namunyak said 74% of voters turned out for the exercise. The ward has 9,190 registered voters.

New Ford Kenya supporters kept on blaming Ford Kenya for planting their candidates while the deceased MCA was for NFK ticket that could have recaptured the seat if FK could have stepped down but Ford Kenya chairman in Trans Nzoia county Ferdinand Wanyonyi during the campaign said FK had rights to fill their candidates because the two parties had no relationship. “May be the relationship will come in 2017 as we look for the top seat in the country,” he said.

A political analyst in the county Dennis Wambalaba says Ford Kenya did a mistake to plant their candidate in Matumbei ward who split votes that the widow Wakwabubi could get and emerged the winner saying the seat belonged to NFK and not FK.

Wambalaba said the duo party leaders should rethink and go back on the drawing board as early preparation for 2017 general election if same mistake occurs again they will lose even gubernatorial seat.

He said they have learnt a lesson that they should correct with immediate effect as politicians if they want to make their party strong adding that division has cost them a lot. Saying that if it was URP and NFK then the widow Wakwabubi could recapturing the seat of her late husband.

He said 2017 gubernatorial seat if Bisau Kakai who still has interest will vie, then Governor Patrick Khaemba, Wamalwa, Noah Wekesa, Gesuka Onsari and Sabaoti community who have vowed to front their candidate then they will remain in darkness saying another person from URP will pass in the middle if the mistake done is not corrected andTrans Nzoia county for the first time will be Jubilee.

Already Endebess MP Robert Pukose of URP declared in Cherangany the following day after the by-election that Matumbei ward by-election has signalled a good start for recapturing positions of gubernatorial, women rep, senators and some MCA seats in 2017 using the advantage of Luhya confusion who are majority in the county. “We are already on the drawing board tutawaonyesha URP na TNA ni ya kina nani (we shall show you who are the URP and TNA) in this county because some just came to Jubilee looking for shelter as rain ends they will run away and we don’t Jubilee is made of URP and TNA,” he lauded.

A local politician Ben Mulipuko differed with Wambalaba’s statement on parties saying Wamalwa should have learnt a lesson and do away with Jubilee government on grounds that Jubilee has not given Wamalwa any job after supporting them to climb.

Mulipuko says it is a lesson that Wamalwa should learn and quit the Jubilee coalition as soon as possible and join other Western leaders in the new drawing board for 2017 instead of staying in the house where other people want just to use him. “Wamalwa is our son. He should come back home. We have seen Jubilee is not helping him instead he’s being used,’’ said Mulipuko. Efforts to get Wamalwa’s comment did not bear fruits since his phone was off still wondering how the seat was captured by URP and not his party NFK.

In Kwanza constituency the URP and TNA plan is to front Joshua Werunga who was defeated by Pukose in the last general election to split Kwanza votes and allow URP’s Abraham Sing’oe who was defeated by Wanyonyi to pass in the middle. Those who have shown interest to vie in Kwanza constituency 2017 are politician Nicholas Wamalwa, Wanyonyi, Joshua Werunga (from Endebess) and Abraham Sing’oe.

URP and TNA drawing board is to have many Luhyas stand for one position so that they can use their confusion that occurred at Matumbei to pass in the middle and take all seats in the county. In Saboti where NFK took the seat in 2013 the plan is the same where they will support and front many Luhyas candidates to divide votes and allow URP Jonas Kakugo to beat them.

Wakwabubi will regret since she was given the job by the county government that is led by Khaemba to support the family and quit politics but she rejected the job offer that she was given during the burial of her late husband and joined politics after being convinced the question remains her to blame.

The New Matumbei MCA Philip Sakong who is waiting to be sworn after the recess appreciated residents vowing to work with them all without considering parties issues saying all have rights to served as Matumbei people.