Friends-turned-rivals set for bare knuckle fight for top county seat

In the 2013 elections, they were friends who supported each other in the rumble and tumble that is Murang’a politics.

But now, Governor Mwangi Wa iria and Kigumo MP Jamleck Kamau are competing for the gubernatorial seat in what is turning out to be a bare knuckle fight that has dragged in MCAs, administrators, national leaders and residents as the friends-turned-rivals employ every trick in the book to gain an advantage over the other.

"Yes, we were allies in 2013. But corruption in the county government has made us break ranks,” Mr Kamau said during an interview with Saturday Nation.

The governor did not respond to queries by the time of going to press.

Dr Moses Mwangi of Mzalendo Saba Saba, who was the runner-up in the last election, will also be in the race. In 2013, he managed to get 43,103 votes while Mr Wa iria garnered 335,280 votes.

From separate launches of the same roads, competing on who can donate more money in harambees, the two leaders are leaving nothing to chance.

For instance, during the inauguration ceremony of new AIPCA Bishop Samuel Kung’u, Mr Wa Iria donated Sh500,000 while Mr Kamau gave Sh700,000.

When Mr Wa Iria was impeached in October 2015, he accused Mr Kamau of sponsoring his ouster.

“We have not yet started proper campaigns. We will be launching a people-driven manifesto entitled ‘LIFT MURANG’A’, this will give people the direction we will take in five years,” Mr Kamau said.

It is not just MCAs and residents who are divided. MPs and national leaders too have been caught up in the fight.

Kandara MP Alice Wahome and Maragua’s Kamande Mbuku have endorsed Mr Kamau. Kangema MP Tirus Ngahu has been a vocal supporter of the governor.

Kiharu MP Irung’u Kangata also stood by the county chief during his grilling by EACC but has not come out openly to endorse Mr Wa Iria.

Mr Kang’ata’s allies have said the MP, who is popular with the poor, is playing his cards close to his chest as he is eyeing the senator’s seat in 2017.

The Kigumo MP enjoys a close relationship with President Uhuru Kenyatta and is a founder member of Jubilee Party while Mr Wa Iria is said to be closer to Deputy President William Ruto, who has attended fundraisers in Murang’a at the governor’s invitation.

VOTE NUMBERS
But it is not just the support of leaders that will count on who occupies Murang’a’s top seat after 2017.

How the Murang’a South-Muranga North rivalry plays out, performance of the current governor and voters’ perception of graft allegations facing Mr Wa Iria will be key.

Mr Kamau comes from Murang’a South which consists of Kigumo, Maragwa, Kandara and Gatanga constituencies. Mr Wa Iria hails from Murang’a North consisting of Kangema, Kiharu and Mathioya.

Murang’a South residents accuse their north counterparts of giving them a raw deal in 2013.

This is because Governor Wa Iria, Senator Gitura and Women Rep Sabina Chege are from Murang’a North. The south only got the deputy governor’s seat.

“The seats should have been shared equally but no elective post was left for southerners. We will unite to form a formidable team that will ensure we share seats equally,” said Ms Wahome, the Kandara MP.

If voters decide solely on the basis of the north-south divide, the south and by extension Mr Kamau, may have an upper hand due to its high number of voters.

Murang’a South comprises of Maragwa (69,353), Kandara (80,554), Kigumo (60,921) and Gatanga (74,122) constituencies with a combined voting bloc of 284,950.

The north comprises Kiharu (89,180), Mathioya (43,141) and Kangema (39,781) constituencies with a total of 172,102 registered voters.

Another key determinant will be voters’ perception of the graft charges facing Mr Wa Iria. 

Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission officials have raided the governor’s home twice. Both Senator Gitura and Mr Kamau have accused the county of buying 10 acres of land to build an industrial park at Kabati at Sh10 million per acre.

“Where in Murang’a can land cost Sh10 million an acre? This is one of the reasons we want him out,” said Mr Kamau. He accused the governor of breaking the law by implementing projects not in the budget.

“He also breaks the law by doing what we call tender splitting, which allows him to split tenders into small bits that are given secretly to cronies,” he noted.

Mr Wa Iria has denied the claims and accused both the senator and Mr Kamau of orchestrating his woes to bring him down politically.

“My record is causing panic. I have reason to believe that this was a deliberate attempt to wreck my career using some instruments of power,” Mr Wa Iria said.

“Corruption is one issue that will weigh the governor down, if not bring him down,” said Dr Isaac Mwangi, who is vying for the Mugoiri Ward rep seat.

WORK RECORD
Indeed, the governor’s supporters point out to his development record as a plus. His programme to give cows and buy coolers have been popular with milk farmers.

He was nicknamed Wa Iria (Someone who deals with milk) due to his involvement in dairy farming. 

“The governor has been able to articulate policies on agriculture more so in the dairy farming, avocado, coffee,” adds Mr Chege, the youth leader.

His decision to offer free ECD education and introduce a feeding programme for the over 25,000 pupils spread across the 650 public ECDE centres is also popular with voters.

But Mr Wa Iria has been accused of being a cantankerous leader who fights others for no apparent reason and of not supplying enough drugs in the dispensaries.

“He does not get along with most MPs, the senator and elites from the region including billionaires like Peter Munga who can really help develop the county,” added Dr Mwangi.

Mr Kamau is also touting his development record in Kigumo. Jamu, as he is popularly known, said Kigumo had one tarmacked road when he was elected in 2007 but now has five major roads and two are in the works.

Electrification and provision of water has also risen from 15 per cent to 85 per cent.

He is also a wily operator who has been in politics for long, this being his second term as MP. But his critics say he has not yet articulated his vision for the county one year to election.

Dr Mwangi, who came second in 2013, said he lost because of the confusion between his name and that of Mr Wa Iria. The two share the name Mwangi.

“I will be stronger this time,” said Dr Mwangi.

All candidates will go for the Jubilee ticket and area voters tend to vote for candidates in parties that are popular at the time. For instance, all leaders in the region were elected on a TNA ticket in 2013.