Bungoma poll renews Raila, Mudavadi supremacy battle
KENYA: Campaigns for the Bungoma senatorial by-election come to a close this week.
CORD candidate and immediate former Senator Moses Wetang’ula and Amani’s Musikari Kombo have not left anything to chance in the hunt for votes, a factor that has made it difficult to guess an outright winner.
Independent candidate and veteran journalist David Makali and Labour Party of Kenya’s Bifwoli Wakoli have also been on the ground soliciting for votes, a move that has seen loyalties shift in their favour. The by-election slated for Thursday, however, viewed by many as a two-horse race between Kombo and Wetangula, and a do-or die battle for CORD’s Wetang’ula, who has described the coming polls and its outcome as ‘a defining moment for not only the county but the country as well’.
Kombo and Wetang’ula’s bitter rivalry has influenced a high number of voters compared to the other two candidates, Makali and Bifwoli. The question lingering on everybody’s lips is whether the ruling made by Judge Francis Gikonyo when he nullified Wetang’ula’s March 4 election was the last nail driven in his political coffin, considering that the former Senator was viewed as the last standing senior Luhya politician. Early this month he had even expressed interest in gunning for the presidency in 2017.
However, as the campaigns come to an end on December 17, it is clearly emerging that whoever wins the propaganda war will carry the day. Bungoma County, which witnessed violence and murder after the March 4th elections that saw more than 100 people killed, has not escaped the attention of the residents and candidates. Dismisses others The killings are perceived to have taken place in areas that voted overwhelmingly for Amani and the coalition’s candidate has capitalised on the matter in his campaign.
Speaking during his campaigns in Webuye, New Ford Kenya candidate, Kombo said he is the right candidate for the post as his leadership is the best to handle the cases of insecurity that saw his lawyer Peter Wanyonyi succumbed to gun shots from thugs.
-standardmedia.co.ke