Wetang’ula has last laugh in Ford-K control
By Enock Amukhale, September 2, 2022
Ford-Kenya leader Moses Wetangula has stamped his authority in Bungoma, the party’s stronghold, despite facing an onslaught from rival parties that sought to end his political career in last month’s elections.
Ahead of the elections, Wetangula, also Bungoma Senator, came up against formidable opponents under the newly formed Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K) whose leaders broke away from Ford Kenya after a protracted supremacy battle.
But the Senator emerged unscathed from the elections. He not only retained his senate seat but also repelled the attacks and returned fire which hit DAP-K leaders such as Wafula Wamunyinyi and Eseli Simiyu.
Wamunyinyi and Simiyu failed to defend their Kanduyi and Tongaren parliamentary seats respectively on DAP-K’s ticket. They were defeated by Ford Kenya candidates who benefitted from the party’s popularity in the county.
In Kanduyi, Ford Kenya’s John Makali emerged the winner by beating Wamunyinyi while ODM’s Alfred Khang’ati came third.
In Tongaren, John Chikati of Ford Kenya floored Eseli.
Bungoma flipped
Wamunyinyi and Simiyu had unsuccessfully attempted to kick out Wetangula from Ford-Kenya last year, accusing him of dictatorship.
In the end, they abandoned the party for the new outfit which is associated with Defence Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa.
Despite facing the rebellion, Wetangula weathered the storm to not only defend his seat but also deliver a huge chunk of presidential votes in the county to President-Elect William Ruto.
On Sunday, Wetang’ula hosted Ruto, Deputy President-elect Rigathi Gachagua and other Kenya Kwanza leaders in Bungoma where he was praised for flipping the county to Kenya Kwanza Alliance in the August 9 election.
Bungoma County residents overwhelmingly voted for ODM leader Raila Odinga in the 2013 and 2017 elections, but this time around, Ruto harvested close to two-thirds of the votes. He garnered 252,327 votes against Raila’s 143,044.
“You are respectable people and we agreed we will come here on our second Sunday after being declared winners,” said Ruto.
For his exploits in Bungoma, Wetang’ula is expected to be nominated for the powerful National Assembly Speaker’s position by the Kenya Kwanza Alliance.
He is expected to quit as senate post to run for Speaker.
Wetang’ula promised Ruto that as Speaker, he will ensure passage of Bills promoting the alliance’s agenda. “We will never let you down. All the promises we made we will fulfill. Our policies will be bottom-up as we promised,” he said.
Dead on arrival
During the Bungoma meeting on Sunday, he said he had put the “coup” plotters in their place.
“I told my opponents that their coup plans will not push me out of Ford-Kenya. I promised them that they will be defeated in the just concluded elections, something that has come to pass. Their coup died on arrival. We gave them a devastating blow,” said Wetang’ula.
It was not the first time he was facing a battle for his political life as he faced a similar onslaught in 2013 when he had to fight off a challenge from New Ford-Kenya, a splinter outfit also linked to Wamalwa.
Other than Wamunyinyi and Simiyu, Wetang’ula also sent to the political cold Bungoma Governor Wycliffe Wangamati who was defeated by Ken Lusaka, the previous holder of the seat.
Wangamati was seeking re-election on a DAP-K ticket while Lusaka was the Ford Kenya candidate.