Why Tachonis are demanding the Bungoma Senate seat
Tachoni Council of Elders Chairman Wasilwa Se-Wekesa with his wives Beatrice (left) and Florence during a past event.
The Bungoma Senate race has taken an ethnic dimension, with the Tachoni sub-tribe demanding that the seat be reserved for them for tribal balance and peaceful coexistence in the county.
The seat fell vacant after veteran politician Moses Wetang’ula resigned to take up his present role as National Assembly Speaker in the Kenya Kwanza administration.
Bungoma is predominantly occupied by the Bukusu, Tachoni, Sabaot, Iteso and Batura sub-tribes of the Luhya community. Mr Wetang’ula is a Bukusu.
Members and elders of the Tachoni sub-tribe say other top county seats have gone to the Bukusus and the Sabaot and the Senate one should go to them.
Tachoni Cultural Society (TACUSO) chairman Se Wasilwa Wekesa and elder Sindani Wambwere, together with professionals and youths from the community, said the Bukusu secured the governor’s seat through Ken Lusaka in the last elections while the Sabaot gained through his deputy Jennifer Mbatiany.
The woman representative seat went to the Bukusu through Catherine Wambilianga, who secured it for a second term. So did the county assembly Speaker and majority leader seats, which went to Emanuel Situma and Nyongesa Juma, respectively.
Demonstrate servanthood
"We have fronted our son Evans Murumba for the Senate seat. We need to share the county seats among the communities that reside in this county for peaceful coexistence,” Se Wasilwa said.
Mr Murumba, who has declared his interest in the seat, backed his community’s demands, arguing that the Tachoni are the second most populous community in the county.
"We are appealing to Governor Lusaka, Mr Wetang’ula and the President to review their position on the seat because all voted and supported them. It is time for them as leaders to demonstrate servanthood and leadership by giving direction on this matter," he said.
He said the community feels disfranchised and its members are contemplating not participating in the December 8 by-election if the issue is not addressed from the point of view of equity.
"We have further noted as a community that the Kenya Kwanza government has not considered us for any Cabinet Secretary or Permanent Secretary slot which is more worrying to us as a people of this country because we can see other communities being handsomely rewarded," he said.
Mr Murumba has not declared which party he intends to run under.
