Primaries in Mt Kenya to be low key over lack of party euphoria

It is a quiet political season in Mt Kenya despite the fact that the electoral agency has directed all parties to conduct their primaries by April 30.

This is in contrast to February 2017, that saw a flurry of campaign activities as leaders jostled to secure the Jubilee Party (JP) ticket which was seen as an express route to clinching an elective position.

The aspirants engaged in all manner of schemes to outshine their rivals including instigating violence and intimidation to get the party ticket.

And true to their expectations, 98 percent of Jubilee Party candidates were elected.

In 2022 however, the ruling JP seems to have lost its glory. The apparent beneficiary, the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) does not seem to attract aspirants for elective positions.

Even President Uhuru Kenyatta’s new found political home, the Azimio la Umoja initiative whose co-driver is ODM leader Raila Odinga, is not causing a political wave in Mt Kenya region.

In Kiambu, former governor Ferdinand Waititu is the only aspirant seeking a UDA ticket after Thika town MP Patrick Wainaina went independent while current governor James Nyoro leans on Azimio la Umoja to defend his seat.

In Murang'a, Senator Irungu Kangata is the only UDA governor candidate while his competitors Water PS Irungu Wairagu, Sabina Chege, Jamleck Kamau are in different political vehicles affiliated to Azimio la Umoja.

In Nyeri, Ruto's party has only attracted Wahome Mwangi (Wamatinga) in the governor race while Senator Ephraim Maina is leaning on Azimio and Governor Mutahi Kahiga is yet to settle on a political vehicle.

In Kirinyaga, Woman Rep Wangui Ngirici bolted out of UDA after governor Ann Waiguru joined the party she claims to have built from scratch. She will vie as an independent candidate while Senator Charles Kibiru will fly the Jubilee party’s flag.

Only Embu and Laikipia governors' races have attracted atleast two aspirants in UDA but there is still no high octane politics despite the limited time remaining for the party polls.

Manyatta MP John Muchiri and Nominated MP Cecily Mbarire want UDA’s ticket to run for Embu governor but the there is no political activity in the county as the two have been campaigning for Ruto in other counties.

The same case befalls Laikipia where former governor Joshua Irungu has declared interests to run for the county’s top post against first term MP Patrick Mariru (Laikipia West) on a UDA party ticket.

Just like in Embu, there is no crossfire as the two seem to have embraced the wait-and-see attitude.

This explains why there are no heightened political activities in Mt Kenya region and implies that there will be minimum or no activities in April when the parties start conducting primaries.

Political players and pundits explain that aspirants do not believe in party primaries and hence most of them will go all the way to the ballot whether they will vie as independent candidates or use smaller parties.

The net effect will be, according to analysts, confusion in the August polls as there will be so many candidates since they will not have been sieved during the party primaries.

Already, aspirants are urging voters not to elect leaders based on euphoria but by evaluating what an individual can do.

Narc Kenya party leader Martha Karua is among those spearheading the narrative and has said: “We should not vote on euphoria or party emotions. Let us be very careful and reject those telling us to fold up our parties and join theirs.”

She explained that electing a ‘thief’ in a popular political party will only entrench mismanagement of public resources since many will do it without fear because they will be covered by a party with euphoria. She added that 2017 Jubilee six piece voting system was the cause of problems Kenyans are facing.

Antony Chege, an aspirant for Maragua Parliamentary seat noted that unlike in 2017 when they were bundled into Jubilee, they would not agree to be subjected to a one-party regime with possible predetermined results.

“I will only vie on a party where I will be assured of a direct ticket. The Jubilee party primaries of 2017 were a sham and many contenders are very cautious,” Chege said.

Former Kirinyaga governor Joseph Ndathi who was trounced by Waiguru claimed some forces in Jubilee wanted to rig them out and he will be using the ticket of The Service Party (TSP) to seek the governor seat.

Kiharu parliamentary aspirant Judy Makira said it would be impossible to be promised a free and fair polls in UDA against incumbent Ndindi Nyoro who has been one of Ruto’s foot soldiers and that is why they fear joining UDA.

“Ndindi Nyoro has been the face of UDA in Kiharu while there are others who have paraded themselves as faces of Azimio. Thus, we have not been assured of free and fair polls and we shall let WanjIku decide at the ballot in August,” she said.

However, Kangata said most aspirants fear repercussions of joining UDA and did not want to lose their parliamentary and government positions.