Mudavadi faces tough test in by-elections

Amani National Congress (ANC) party leader Musalia Mudavadi is facing one of the toughest tests of his political career as he fights to get a grip of his Western backyard amid a sustained onslaught by Deputy President William Ruto and Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga in today’s by-elections.

Voters in Matungu and Kabuchai constituencies head to the polls today in a high-stakes by-election that is expected to shape the regions politics ahead of 2022. It will be a decisive moment with the outcome of the knife-edged polls expected to influence the scramble for the region’s over 2 million votes.

Locally, the vote in Matungu is also seen as a referendum on the popularity of Mr Mudavadi and Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya, both of whom have declared their interest in succeeding President Uhuru Kenyatta in next year’s election.

Mr Oparanya has been leading ODM campaigns for the party’s candidate, Mr David Were, in the Constituency while Mr Mudavadi individually took charge of the vote hunt for his candidate, Mr Peter Nabulindo, with Dr Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) brigade camping in the constituency to drum up support for their candidate, Mr Alex Lanya.

Political head-start

Whoever carries the day between Mr Mudavadi and Mr Oparanya is likely to have a political head-start in the quest for the top seat. Mr Mudavadi yesterday acknowledged that the competition has been intense among ODM, ANC and UDA.

“Our take is that this was an ANC seat — the late (Justus) Murunga was an ANC MP so we have every reason to put our best foot forward to reclaim the seat.”

“But it should not be forgotten that ODM and UDA are trying very hard to stake their claim here and you will notice perhaps it has been more intense in Matungu than even Kabuchai,” Mr Mudavadi told Nation.

He said that ODM and the UDA side “have every reason to worry about an ANC victory because it seems to them an ANC victory has broader implications.” He, however, expressed confidence of reclaiming the seat.

15 candidates cleared

Mr Oparanya said that, whereas he does not derive power from by-elections, his development record in Matungu and the entire Kakamega County as governor speaks for itself and that the voters will heed to his calls to vote for Mr Were in today’s poll.

He said that a win for Mr Were will be an indication of his success in uniting the people of Kakamega County, which forms the majority of the region’s voting bloc.

Matungu has 61,728 voters spread across its five wards and 115 polling stations. The wards are Koyonzo (16,136), Kholera (11,792), Khalaba (8,028), Mayoni (12,738) and Namamali (13,034).

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) cleared 15 candidates to vie in today’s mini poll but the battle has narrowed down to three; David Were (ODM), Peter Nabulindo (ANC) and Alex Lanya (UDA).

Odinga vs Ruto 

ANC party has already touted the race as the battle between Mr Odinga, Dr Ruto and its party leader Mr Mudavadi.  

In Kabuchai, it remains a battle between Dr Ruto’s UDA and Moses Wetang’ula’s Ford Kenya.

Mr Mudavadi backs Mr Wetang’ula’s candidate while Mr Odinga’s ODM has not fielded a candidate.

Dr Ruto’s UDA is behind Mr Evans Kakai while Mr Majimbo Kalasinga is vying on Mr Wetang’ula’s Ford Kenya ticket. Kabuchai has 123 polling stations and 57,476 registered voters spread across its four wards—Kabuchai/Chwele (15,177), West Nalondo (14,016), Bwake/Luuya (13,887) and Mukuyuni (14,396). The IEBC has declared that any person without face mask will not be allowed to vote.

But Mr Kalasinga has differed with this, arguing that the constitutional right to vote supersedes Covid-19 protocols.

Additional reporting by Brian Ojamaa