How political newcomers beat giants in TNA polls

Participants go through the voting process.  [PHOTOS: GEORGE MULALA /NYERI COUNTY]

By County Weekly Team

KENYA: The recent party primaries have left the Mt Kenya political landscape littered with fallen giants.

So far, 12 MPs from the region have been beaten by greenhorns and consigned to the political dustbin.

At the same time, the comeback of two members of the old guard, GG Kariuki and Joseph Kamotho for Laikipia and Murang’a senatorial seats respectively capped the season of mixed fortunes.

Mr Kariuki secured The National Alliance (TNA) ticket while Mr Kamotho is still smarting from the walloping he got from former MP Kembi Gitura.

There was shock in Kirinyaga after it emerged that Finance minister Njeru Githae had been felled by a minnow.

The political rookie is Joseph Ndathi, who has now secured the TNA ticket for the Kirinyaga gubernatorial seat.

Similar shockwaves were experienced in Maragwa after long-serving Maragwa MP Elias Mbau suffered a surprising defeat. The outgoing vocal MP was defeated by Peter Kamande Mwangi.

Mr Mbau, who is a former chairman of the Parliamentary Budget Committee, faced the wrath of his voters especially those from Makuyu division who accused him of sidelining them.

Mr Mbau, who has served two terms, had enhanced his popularity in 2003 immediately after his election after he organised a medical clinic as a homecoming party while his colleagues spent millions in merrymaking.

However, last year, voters shunned Mr Mbau after he started engaging late Cabinet minister John Njoroge Michuki in political duels over issues touching on Murang’a County.

Mr Mwangi, who represented Maragwa between 1997 and 2002, polled 16,084 votes to Mr Mbau’s 7,450.

After Michuki’s death, Mr Mbau rounded on his Kigumo counterpart, Jamleck Kamau after he was promoted to the Cabinet.

Mr Mbau, who hails from Kaharo village in Maragwa division, does not see eye to eye with the Nairobi Metropolitan minister and accuses him of sponsoring aspirants to edge him out of the parliamentary race.

Cut to size

Mr Mbau has since lodged a protest with the TNA dispute resolution board citing rigging and his agents being chased out of polling stations.

“Despite glaring evidence of rigging in 2007, I opted not to challenge it in a court of law but to remain focused on challenges facing Maragwa constituency,” said Mr Kamande, the TNA candidate.

In Nyandarua, immediate former Kinangop MP David Ngugi and his predecessor, Waithaka Mwangi,  both seeking TNA’s ticket for the governorship, were humiliated.

The seasoned politicians were sent packing by a newcomer, Daniel Waitha Mwangi, the proprietor of Elite Schools.

Mr Ngugi was the chairman of the small parties under PNU in the Tenth Parliament.

In Parliament, the former MP was the vice chairperson of the Local Authorities committee.

He was also a member of the Public Accounts committee, positions that saw him become one of the most respected politicians in Nyandarua County.

It was for this reason that he opted to vie for the position of Nyandarua County Governor.

In his quest for the seat, Mr Ngugi relied on his experience in the management of the private sector, having worked with Corporate Insurance, Association of Kenya Insurers and Phoenix Insurance as CEO.

Most suitable

He endeared himself to the people of Nyandarua, presenting himself as the most suitable candidate to manage their resources.

He came fourth after losing to Mr Mwangi who came first with 40,783 votes while the outgoing MP got 19,434.

Second was Peter Mwangi Gathimba with 37,172 while former Kinangop MP Waithaka Mwangi followed with 33,174. He has since ditched TNA and will contest the seat on a GNU ticket.

The TNA nominations in Kiambu County saw three supporters of Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta kicked out by voters.

Kikuyu MP Lewis Nguyai, Peter Mwathi (Limuru) and Clement Waibara (Gatundu North) were kicked out during the party primaries.

Githunguri MP Njoroge Baiya was the only former immediate MP who successfully defended his seat. Mr Baiya brushed aside Karanja Chutha, who is eying the seat for the second time.

At the same time, flamboyant Juja MP William Kabogo won the gubernatorial ticket with a landslide after garnering 134, 026 votes.

In Kikuyu, Mr Nguyai, a close ally of Mr Kenyatta, was battling for the newly created Kabete constituency ticket. He however lost to George Muchai, the Cotu Deputy Secretary-General with 7,642 and 6,802 votes respectively.

So close is the Local Government assistant minister to the Jubilee presidential candidate that he was his witness at the International Criminal Court confirmation hearings and it was unthinkable that he would lose.

Former Limuru MP Peter Mwathi lost to Peter Kiragu, who is trying his luck for the second time. He got 9,581 votes to Mr Mwathi’s 2,535.

Mr Mwathi was previously in Ford People before joining TNA and joining the camp of Mr Kabogo, who was politically influential across the county.

Since 2010, Mr Kiragu has been engaged in youth and women’s projects which is said to have added him marks.

Mr Mwathi’s poor record during his tenure saw several demonstrations held against him. He also landed in problems after he was perceived to be opposed to Mr Kenyatta by campaigning against the Constitution.

Before changing his mind, Mr Mwathi was the only Kiambu MP who was campaigning against the new Constitution.

First entry

The controversial Gatundu North MP, Clement Waibara lost to businessman Kigo Njenga, who won with 6, 615 votes. He was making his first entry into politics

Mr Waibara’s underbelly was exposed during the hearing of the petition filed by his predecessor, Patrick Muiruri who was challenging the 2007 parliamentary
outcome.

His ups and downs, according to Samuel Kihui could have frustrated the electorate who decided to show him the door.

In the midst of this bloodbath, Lari MP David Njuguna and Kiambaa MP Munga Githunguri have both postponed their fate.

Sent home

Mr Githunguri now has eyes on the Kiambu Senate seat on a Kanu ticket while Mr Njuguna got a direct nomination and will now face his worst political foe, newcomer Mburu Kahangara, who garnered 13, 019 votes to bag the ticket.

In the meantime, Kiambaa’s TNA candidate is Pius Koinange, from the famous political family of Senior Chief Koinange while the newly-created Kiambu has nominated Jude Njomo to carry TNA’s flag.

And if the current perception that getting a TNA ticket is equal to winning the General Election in Kiambu is anything to go by, apart from Mr Baiya, Kiambu will have a new set of politicians.

Two MPs from Murang’a County faced the wrath of the voters who voted for their rivals, edging them out of the political scene.

The outgoing Kandara MP, James Maina Kamau was sent home by his rival Alice Muthoni Wahome during the party nominations.

For five years, Mrs Wahome put on a brave face as she tackled the challenges facing Kandara and her competitors placed hurdles in her path.

During the nominations, she polled 27,606 votes with her challenger securing 10,845 votes.

 In 2007 she lodged a petition in the High Court demanding a recount of the Kandara parliamentary votes which had not happened by the time the Tenth Parliament lapsed.

Immediate former Kangema MP Tiras Ngahu and his Mathioya counterpart, Clement Wambugu survived the nomination exercise as they crashed their rivals after garnering 15,339 and 10,395 votes respectively.