Pulsers in political 'dynasties'

Not so long ago, rumour had it that Deputy President William Ruto’s son Nick would be joining politics.
Being the eldest son of the Deputy President, it would be expected that he is being groomed to take over his father’s political career. Nick, it was claimed, was going to run for the Turbo parliamentary seat.
However, the young lawyer is said to have denied the allegations and clearly, he is not on the ballot.

However, the happy-go-lucky scion still seems to be following in the footsteps of his father. Just the other day Nick landed in a chopper at the Soweto grounds in Embakasi to drum up support for his friend and fellow youth Francis Mureithi for Embakasi East MP on a Jubilee ticket.
Accompanied by award-winning gospel singer Bahati and Ben Githae, Nick joined Francis Mureithi’s campaign rally at the Soweto slum where he asked the locals to support him (Mureithi) for the seat.

“We are here today to support our good, able and young friend Francis Mureithi for Embakasi East parliamentary seat,” said Nick amid cheers from the crowd.
During the visit, the soft-spoken Nick mingled with locals with ease and promised to go visit them someday.
At the same time, President Uhuru Kenyatta’s eldest son Jomo Kenyatta, joined politicians in Narok County where he seemed to represent the father in what could be another political move of the sons.

Accompanied by his younger brother Muhoho and sister Ngina, Jomo joined local leaders among them Narok Governor Samuel Tunai and donated Sh1 million towards women groups in the area.
The rather outspoken Jomo wedded Achola Ngobi last year, a move that could also suggest that he is ready to take over his father’s political mantle.
Likewise, Kennedy Musyoka, son of the Nasa presidential running mate Kalonzo Musyoka already has one foot in politics after he was nominated to the East African Legislative Assembly about two months ago.
Prior to this, word had started to do rounds that Kalonzo’s other son Klein who runs his own entertainment stable was being groomed to join Mwingi politics.

Speaking to Pulse during a previous interview, Klein said his heart was not in politics, clarifying that his passion is in creative arts and that is why he opted to study media and open his own entertainment consultancy stable.
The young man who is known to love the fine things in life is also a rapper who, away from the political rumours, seems distanced from taking over his father’s decades-long political career.
“Political families are like brand names. It’s like having a franchise or a famous name. Many times, voters here give political royalists some advantage and as we all know it, money pays a big role in having these dynasties remain in politics,” says Moses Wanjala, a young politician analyst.

“The thing is that if voters can find the public and political record of a given politician clean, they will most likely favour that politician’s son or daughter or even a next of kin would they be fronted into politics,” he observes.
In January this year, Rosemary Odinga, Nasa presidential candidate Raila Odinga’s daughter declared that she was going into politics and that she would run for the Kibra Parliamentary seat.

The ambitious Rosemary who had been accompanying the Nasa flag bearer in his political tours around the country was at the time of her declaration accompanied by political bigwigs among them Kakamega Senator, Bonny Khalwale and his Homa Bay counterpart, Moses Kajwang.
Another politician’s daughter who seems to be following after the footsteps of her father is Saumu Mbuvi, the daughter of Nairobi Senator Mike Sonko.

Saumu was active in campus politics at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology Karen campus where she also assisted her baby daddy into power before they made their relationship public.
Many believe Saumu, who is very close to her father, is headed into politics.
“Logically, in Kenya, political leaders who serve for more than one term have a high chance of getting someone in their family into politics. This is not a bad thing. It means that they teach their very own how to cultivate relationships and connections that can help them become political leaders. These families also learn how to pool their resources together and keep their political brands shinning,” Moses explains.
“We are talking about affluent millionaires here who form the wealthy ruling elite. These are people who have mass influence and who have everything to protect from power to wealth. Their interests could run deeper that politics,” he adds.Alvin Kabogo, the son of Kiambu governor William Kabogo is yet another one in the Pulse generation who is believed to be getting groomed into politics.

The young vocal chap has been attending political meetings during his father’s campaign. The flamboyant young man who lives an expensive lifestyle was put on the spot by social media after a photo of him flashing the middle finger offensively went online after his father lost in the Jubilee primaries.
However, Alvin told off his ‘haters’ saying he had not insulted Kenyans as insinuated adding that blogs misinterpreted the picture and that “It is highly inappropriate to create such a damaging story over a photo.”

Besides politics, Alvin is one hunk ladies love to admire, something that has given him a big social mileage.
And he is not the only politician’s son who seems to be making a name for himself simply because of powerful connections and good looks.
Zachary Saitoti, the son of the late Internal Security Minister George Saitoti may not have his eyes on politics but he has cultivated a great following from young people as a young entrepreneur now running his own showbiz outfit ShiftEye’s Studios.

We also have Kigen Moi, the 25-year-old son to Baringo Senator Gideon Moi who is a student at Bristol University in England.
Then there is Kibaki’s grandson, Sean who is a student at the United States International University – Africa as well as Peter Kenneth’s son Andrew Kenneth. And in this also is Michael Orengo, son to Siaya Senator James Orengo.