Kisii; Kenya-Former influential Cabinet Minister Simeon Nyachae came out of political retirement to endorse Jubilee presidential candidate Uhuru Kenyatta following what he termed ‘public demand’.
Tellingly, Nyachae landed in a URP branded chopper at the stadium before to join Uhuru and his entourage who had traversed Kisii County and were to crown their tour at the venue.
A man who had severally published advertisers’ announcements in the media saying he had quit politics forever returned to shore up campaigns for Uhuru who is having a close race with Cord’s Raila Odinga.
Nyachae took a back seat in politics after he was embarrassed in the 2007 General Election by new comer Robert Monda who ran on a Narc ticket and defeated him in Nyaribari Chache seat to the shock of many observers.
“When I stand here, I represent Omogusii meaning you are welcome in Kisii,” Nyachae said when he was called to the podium by Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Ongeri to give his much awaited address.
He said after he was interviewed in a local FM station, the public demanded that he makes his stand on the Kibaki succession known and he chose to do it had the rally.
But immediately the well attended rally at Gusii Stadium where Nyachae made the declaration to support Uhuru’s candidature was over, ODM allied youth aboard motorcycles poured the streets of Kisii town chanting pro-Raila slogans.
Back at the stadium Nyachae kept the masses guessing before he broke his silence on the presidential race, which is likely to throw Cord to the drawing board given the respect he still commands across the political divide in Kisii.
“Today I come here and I don’t need to explain anything to you because you have eyes to see for yourselves,” Nyachae implored the gathering which cheered him on.
He advised Omogusii to remain united and follow one path if they wanted to be relevant in the emerging political dispensation prophetically saying: “Don’t be like fish to be fished any fisherman.”
Saying Omogusii had never depended on anybody for survival, Nyachae said the community only needed a government that would safeguard their interests including businesses, land and job opportunities which the Jubilee Alliance had demonstrated.
He invoked the name of Kenya’s founding president Jomo Kenyatta saying he protected the interests of Omogusii and his son would not deviate from that line.
“The lies you have been told day in day out have come to an end today,” he added
He termed as rhetoric adage that youth are future leaders saying the time was ripe for young Kenyans like Uhuru to take up the country’s leadership.
Nyachae said his political direction meant well for the community and asked the electorate to speak through the ballot by electing Uhuru come March 4
He called on Kenyans to respect Kibaki saying he had steered the country to greater economic prosperity during his tenure in office.
The re-entry of Nyachae into the Kibaki succession politics is likely to be a game changer and he wields influence and is capable of facilitating a captivating campaigns given his resources.
