Charles Onchoke, the ‘political nonstarter’ who won Bonchari MP seat
Bonchari Constituency returning Officer Delvin Sure (left) hands IEBC election certificate to Charles Onchoke of United Progressive Alliance after he was declared the Bonchari MP-elect at the constituency tallying centre in Itierio Boys High School, Suneka in Kisii on August 11, 2022.
Running on a 'nondescript' political party, with opinion polls and political pundits dismissing him as a political nonstarter in the Bonchari parliamentary contest, Dr Charles Mamwacha Onchoke was a political underdog who proved everyone wrong to become an MP-elect on his first public leadership attempt.
Dr Onchoke, 60, who became popularly christened “enchoke” or a stinging bee, was dismissed as a political rookie and was the least expected to win the Bonchari parliamentary seat.
What his detractors did not know is that the US-based financial management lecturer and public policy expert had strong strategists behind his candidature.
His strategists are officials of Bonchari Citizens Council—BCC—a think-tank of professionals based in the US, Nairobi and Kisii.
Residents nicknamed him the “Bee” literally translating his last name — Onchoke —which in Kisii means the bee, to imply he had come with the sting to kick out political deadwood and usher in accountable leadership in a constituency that is yearning for development in Gusii region.
Pool resources
Dr Onchoke walks into a constituency that has the highest number of youthful ‘political opportunists’, locally referred to as Chinkondis which will require him to summon the best of his energies, pool resources and transform the area.
Until mid-April 2022, Dr Onchoke had not decided whether or not he would throw his hat into the ring against the veteran politician, Zebedeo Opore and Nairobi-based criminal lawyer, Cliff Ombeta among others.
What has baffled many is the fact that Dr Onchoke entered the parliamentary race very late when many of his opponents had already covered a lot of ground in the constituency.
Speaking to Nation. Africa from the US, one of Dr Onchoke’s strategists who is also an official of BCC, Peter Makori, said they pushed the lecturer to abandon his teaching career at a Texas University to enter into the political race.
“We previously thought he was the best candidate to be nominated by the Orange Democratic Movement party, I had talked to some people whom I know had links with ODM to support him. However, we realised that it was not possible,” said Mr Makori who is based in Missouri.
Mr Makori said his team encouraged Dr Onchoke to shop around and see if any political party could sponsor him. “But we told him to keep his cards open, including running as an independent.”
Nomination ticket
Dr Onchoke eventually managed to get a nomination ticket from the newly formed United Progressive Alliance (UPA), a party associated with Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang’i.
He is the only lawmaker in Kisii and Nyamira counties elected on a UPA ticket. Nyamira Governor Amos Nyaribo and several MCAs from Gusii were also elected on the party ticket.
The biggest surprise is that Dr Onchoke had just come from the US and managed to win the parliamentary seat that left even his ardent supporters in awe.
Onchoke garnered 13,836 votes against Jonah Ondieki Onkendi of ODM who managed 10,632 votes with Jubilee's Zebedeo Opore coming in third with 9,817 votes.
For those who understand Kisii politics, coming from the US to win a political seat anywhere in Kisii is almost impossible.
"We would like to see Abanchari get recognised when it comes to the sharing of the national and county cakes. We have been given a raw deal," Dr Onchoke told Nation. Africa during the interview.
He has promised to work closely with everyone, including those who did not vote for him, to harness the resources for the common good of Bonchari residents.
The United States-based Kenyan financial management and governance lecturer at Texas University has a raft of development plans he wants to achieve in five years.
Being an educationist, Dr Onchoke identifies educational development as one of the key items on his agenda.
He wants to create day schools of excellence in every corner of the constituency to help poor students to access education.
He also wants to provide clean drinking water to his people, improve agricultural activities, and support women and youth empowerment projects. He also wants to unite the constituency.
Dr Onchoke previously worked as the treasurer for the defunct Kisumu and Nairobi City Councils, and later on as the Director of Finance at the National Treasury.
He has rich experience working as an economic management consultant for several countries under the World Bank. He is also an advocate of the High Court of Kenya, with other experiences serving as chairman of Bonchari Welfare Association, and Bonchari Citizens Council.
Despite being a newcomer, Dr Onchoke who boasts of checkered public management experience wants at the end of his five-year term to ensure he fulfils his five-point development agenda—Youth Empowerment; Economic Development; Education and Skills Development; Social Welfare; and Infrastructural enhancement.
He has promised to not only change the political narrative of compartmentalising Bonchari into north and south zones, but he is also on a mission to transform and put the constituency on the political map of Kenya.
Dr Onchoke told Nation.Africa that although the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) was recently declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, he knows where to find resources to move Bonchari to the next level.
“It is not about NG-CDF. We have networks to harness available development resources and turn around Bonchari into an economic giant and set a good example to be emulated by other constituencies in Kenya,” said Dr Onchoke.
He said he will seek the support of corporate entities and other partners to meet his development goals in Bonchari.
