Tough test for ‘Handshake’ duo in Bonchari mini poll
Jubilee secretary-general Raphael Tuju addresses journalists in Nairobi after unveilling the party’s candidates for the Garissa, Juja and Bonchari by-elections on March 24.
What you need to know:
- The Bonchari parliamentary by-election is set to take place on May 18.
- ODM and Jubilee have been fielding joint candidates to counter Ruto’s Tangatanga group.
In what is turning out to be a test of strength of the union between President Uhuru Kenyatta and his ‘Handshake’ partner Raila Odinga, the former’s ruling Jubilee Party wants the latter’s Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) to withdraw its candidate for the forthcoming Bonchari parliamentary by-election.
On the other hand, ODM insists that the region is its political stronghold and would like Jubilee to similarly cede ground in the high-stakes push-and-pull between Jubilee’s Zebedeo Opore and Orange party candidate Pavel Oimeke, a former Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority director-general.
ODM and Jubilee have been fielding one candidate in recent mini polls to face candidates fronted by Deputy President William Ruto’s Tangatanga faction of the ruling party.
However, Jubilee deputy secretary-general Joshua Kutuny expects ODM to pull out of the race in the ‘Handshake’ spirit.
“These are discussions going on because, honestly, Jubilee has the stronger candidate. We will persuade them to drop their candidature in favour of Jubilee,” Mr Kutuny said yesterday.
The Cherang’any MP, who is an ally of President Kenyatta, said that the Jubilee candidate is more experienced and easy to sell compared to the ODM candidate.
‘An unwise move’
On the other hand, ODM chairman John Mbadi, who is also the Minority Leader in the National Assembly, said Jubilee should be the one to pull out.
“It would have been better if we did not compete against each other,” the Suba South MP said.
Mr Mbadi added that Jubilee was not supposed to field a candidate in Bonchari. He said the ruling party was influenced by what he called ‘local politics’.
“The initial thinking was that they allow us to field a candidate because Kisii is an ODM stronghold. However, we know that local politics played a role in Jubilee’s decision to also field a candidate. Some local leaders wanted to consolidate their positions,” he told the Nation.
Mr Mbadi insisted that should ODM and Jubilee go to the polls, it would have little impact on the ‘Handshake’.
Homa Bay Town MP Opondo Kaluma, a Raila ally, however said Jubilee’s act was destabilising.
“Jubilee is destabilising the ‘Handshake’ by fielding a candidate in ODM’s Nyanza stronghold. Such an unwise move could unsettle the ODM base and prove costly in the long-run,” Mr Kaluma said.
