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Citizen Weekly

Monday 9 February 2015

New power sharing strategy hatched in Vihiga

An ugly incident was witnessed at a burial service in Luanda, Vihiga after flamboyant deputy governor Caleb Amaswache confronted Vihiga MP Yusuf Chanzu. Trouble for Chanzu began after Amaswache’s motorcade was allegedly blocked by Chanzu’s entourage when addressing youth a few metres from the funeral ceremony of Vincent Amioko at Hobunaka village.
A furious Amaswache is reported to have alighted from his official vehicle with his security detail and supporters in tow, walked towards the legislator and demanded that he clears the way for his motorcade. He then suddenly and in a shocking fit of anger held Chanzu by the neck before boda boda operators intervened as Amaswache’s own security whisked him back to his vehicle.
Amaswache almost wetted his pants as he earned the wrath of the boda boda operators who bayed for his blood for disrespecting the MP. At one point, an ally of Governor Moses Akaranga, a one Major Manyasi, was manhandled and called all sorts of names by the operators.
Chanzu who has declared that he will challenge Akaranga in 2017 had earlier been welcomed by Amaswache to address the mourners. He asked the mourners to elect him as governor which he said he was optimistic of clinching as he had support across the county, a remark which appears not to have gone down well with Amaswache.
The deputy governor, who addressed the mourners after Chanzu had left, however remarked that voters would be unwise to replace Akaranga, a Maragoli with a fellow clansman. He said the governorship was not a preserve of Maragolis as other subgroups in the county that include  Banyore, Tirikis and Teriks  who are able to have one of their own elected to the position.
Vihiga women representative Dorcas Kedogo, area member of county assembly Nathan Okila and ward representative Dismas Ojuok attended the burial.
Politics in Vihiga has entered into top gear ahead more so after Weekly Citizen recently unearthed a multi- million scandal by the Akaranga administration.
It has also emerged that the county cabinet is divided down the middle after Akaranga reshuffled his cabinet on grounds they were sympathetic to those working on an elaborate scheme to oppose him.
Apart from Chanzu, Emuhaya MP Wilbur Otichillo is under pressure from professionals in the two Banyore constituencies to go for the seat. They want Kennedy Butiko, the man Akaranga defeated to run for Emuhaya parliamentary seat. If Butiko declines, Sande Mukuna’s name is also being mentioned. He is a former area MP and does not get on well with the deputy governor. Akaranga is planning to drop Amaswache for Butiko as his running mate, according to sources quoting politician Khalid Njiraini.
Already, the professionals are reaching out to their counterparts in Hamisi constituency in the plot. Not left behind are the populous Maragoli. In the strategy, they want the governor’s slot held on rotational basis of one term each. During 2013 general elections, a Maragoli got the slot, 2017 is a Munyore and come 2022 a Tiriki. Those behind the move are said to enjoy support from MPs including Sabatia’s Alfred Agoi. According sources close to Agoi, by the time the seat reverts to the Maragoli community, he will be the best person to go for it after having served as the area MP for the other coming two terms.
If the Maragoli fail to back the rotational bid, a scheme to isolate them ahead of 2017 is afoot. Insiders say that senator George Khaniri’s move to lean towards Cord is part of the plot.
Khaniri although in UDF of Musalia Mudavadi has of late left the party supporters guessing. The senator has been urging Mudavadi to join Raila Odinga. He is in the same camp with his Kakamega counterpart Bonnie Khalwale.
For now, come 2017, Khaniri is to be supported for senatorship in the Banyore-Tiriki-Maragoli political arrangement as a Maragoli settles for deputy governor and speaker to the assembly respectively.

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