Ethnic undercurrents in battle for Narok governor seat

Mr Joseph ole Karia (left) and Narok Governor Samuel Tunai

Mr Joseph ole Karia (left) and Narok Governor Samuel Tunai. The governor has warned politicians against propagating hatred even as some elders insist the next governor and deputy should both be Maasai.

A major political battle is shaping up in Narok County, with outgoing governor Samuel Tunai vowing not to allow any politician allied to Orange Democratic Movement (ODM’s) Raila Odinga to succeed him, terming them ethnic bigots.

The sentiments have worsened the bad blood between the governor and his long-time political foe, Narok North Member of Parliament Moitalel Ole Kenta, who has announced his intention to run for governor under the Azimio La Umoja Movement that Mr Odinga leads.

The two leaders are now embroiled in a war of words after Governor Tunai censured Mr Kenta and a section of the Narok Council of Elders, following their remarks that the next governor and his deputy should come from the Maasai community.

Cosmopolitan county

Mr Tunai, who hails from the minority Siria clan and is thought to be eyeing the Senate seat in the August 9 polls, said Narok is a cosmopolitan county and all tribes have a right to equal opportunity, including in leadership positions.

“Those advocating a winner-take-all brand of politics should know there’s no day these other communities will move out of this county, so it’s better for the leaders to start internalising this [fact] and learn to live with it,” he said.

The governor said he was elected on the platform of uniting communities in the cosmopolitan county and is ready to campaign vigorously against leaders promoting negative ethnicity.

While he has not publicly announced his quest for senator, Mr Tunai should prepare to face off against the incumbent, Mr Ledama Kina (ODM), land rights activist Meitamei Ololdapash and Mr Julius Kuiyoni, a journalist with a local radio station, Maiyan FM.

“When we start campaigns for the position I’ll be announcing later, we’ll oppose this breed of leaders who are working towards dividing people along tribal lines,” Mr Tunai said during the swearing-in of the chief officer for Information and Communication Technology and E-government, Mr Charles Langat.

Narok is for everyone

“We buried politics based on hatred. Narok is for everyone; you can do business, buy land, seek a political seat and educate your children here. When we go to elections, we choose leaders, not tribes,” Mr Tunai said.

The governor’s sentiments didn’t go well with Mr Kenta, who accused the county boss of creating a wedge between him and locals. He said he harbours no hatred against any community in the county.

“The governor is even using the evictions of the Maasai Mau forest to deny me votes because of my stand on the matter, but when I take over power, I will share the resources equally,” Mr Kenta said.

The scramble for ethnic voting blocs in the Narok gubernatorial race has split the Maasai Council of Elders, members of Parliament and aspirants for governor into two opposing camps.

On one side is a group allied to the ODM leader, Mr Odinga and his Azimio La Umoja Movement, while the other is allied to Deputy President William Ruto and his Kenya Kwanza Coalition.

Maasai Council of Elders Chairman Kelena ole Nchoe and council patron Joseph ole Karia back Mr Kenta, while a group led by Mr Simon ole Nesiria has endorsed Mr Patrick ole Ntutu, the Labour Chief Administrative Secretary.

Mr Ntutu, MPs Gabriel Tongoyo (Narok West), and Soipan Kudate (Woman Representative) are all seeking to run for governor on the Ruto-linked United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party ticket, while supporting DP Ruto’s presidential bid.

Mzee Nchoe’s group has been rooting for an exclusive Maasai leadership in the county. He is fronting Mr Kenta for governor, which decision was ratified three weeks ago during a “Maa Nation declaration” at Parburush in Narok South Sub-county.

A minority clan

“The next county government [will be led by Maasais], whereby, if we have a Purko for governor, then the deputy should be from a minority clan.

“We shall disown anybody bringing a non-Maasai as deputy. We need an independent Maasai county government,” Mr Karia said recently.

The remarks have rubbed the governor the wrong way, even as he warned politicians eyeing various seats in the county that they will not be allowed to fuel ethnic tensions.

Unite all the clans

He cautioned politicians to be mindful of their utterances as they woo voters.

“During my two terms in office, which will be ending this year, I’ve worked hard to unite all the tribes living in this county by distributing resources equally.

“I call upon those who are interested in leading our county to be mindful [of promoting] peace rather than hatred among the residents,” Mr Tunai said.

Governor Tunai is deputised by Ms Evalyn Aruasa who hails from the Kipsigis community, a thing that Mr Kenta has for long fought hard against, arguing that the Maasai community should be able to fill all leadership positions in their own county and there is no need of looking for a deputy from other communities.