By Fwamba NC Fwamba:WHY WAMALWA IS THE NATION’S GREATEST HOPE.

In Kenya’s political history, Saboti Member of Parliament, Eugene Wamalwa appears to occupy a unique space never occupied by anybody else before. Eugene Wamalwa has risen to national prominence at an early age unlike other great political icons from the Luhya nation. His current political status is akin to that which was enjoyed by Masinde Muliro shortly before the latter’s death in 1991 .At the time the latter who served as the interim Vice Chairman of FORD, was the key pillar that was to determine the reconciliation between the FORD factions; one that was led by Jaramogi Oginga Odinga and the other that was led by Kenneth Matiba. The Luhya nation had hope in Muliro whom they totally identified with despite the fact that Muliro was not even a member of parliament. The Luhya nation believed that Muliro represented their aspirations in a process of determining and bringing political reforms in Kenya. Eugene’s rapid political rise can be compared to Masinde Muliro’s inspirational leadership which overshadowed the influence of people like Elijah Mwangale; the then powerful cabinet minister in Moi’s government. The overwhelming support Eugene enjoys is also similar in mannerism to the one that his elder brother and former Vice president Michael Kijana Wamalwa had shortly before the latter’s demise. By the time the former Vice President passed on, he had built a rich political career over a long period of time that could be traced back from the 1970s.Kijana Wamalwa had had a lot of ups and downs in his political life including frustrations that were deliberately brought against him by the Moi government. Kijana Wamalwa would have been the default successor to the Kibaki’s presidency had he been alive today. The late Vice President was a charismatic leader at the national level. He had also reached a level of full acceptance by the Luhya nation as their democratically endorsed de facto leader. The Luhya nation is currently the second biggest political block in the country after the Kikuyu ethnic block. For that reason, it’s easy to present a presidential candidate and with the support of other like minded political blocks can win the presidency so easily if the elections were held in accordance with the new constitution. The presidential candidate can only manage to get this support if the people at the grassroots understand this mathematics and potential. Going by the recently concluded By elections in Ikolomani constituency and Kimilili north ward, the people of western province appear to have finally decided to have their hope and political future espoused in a Eugene Wamalwa Presidency. In the two By-elections, people overwhelmingly voted for the New Ford Kenya candidates; the party identified with Eugene Wamalwa. Indeed, during the campaigns, the leadership of the Orange Democratic Party (ODM) vividly pointed out that the by elections were a rehearsal for the 2012 general elections.Dr.Boni Khalwale of New Ford Kenya won with over 54 percent of the vote in an election ODM had strongly and openly believed in own victory during the campaigns. The 23rd May By election results; as a rehearsal to the 2012 elections showed that the western province voters now identify themselves with Eugene as the symbol of Luhya unity and as a person the people need to coalesce around for future national political endeavours. Eugene, unlike the previous icons Masinde Muliro and Wamalwa Kijana, has managed to get this recognition at a much younger age. The recognition is timely because it has come at the moment when the whole world is advocating for young leadership. The Barrack Obama victory in the US’s 2008 presidential race changed the world. It’s Euphoric all over the world that the leaders whose age is below fifty are much more preferred in democratic elections than their older competitors. The situation and the age rhetoric has become so pronounced everywhere in the country. Kenyans are very keen on electing a young president. It’s a good coincidence for the younger Wamalwa that he is within this age bracket. Majority of Kenyan voters with time have started to notice what Jimmy Kibaki saw earlier than anybody else. The president’s son was the first prominent figure to publicly declare support for Eugene’s bid for the top seat. It was something that was with time adopted by many people. As time goes by, Eugene has continued to receive endorsements from different prominent people. Former Ford Kenya leader Musikari Kombo realised that Eugene was the people’s preference and decided to officially endorse the latter.Kombo’s selfless move was unexpected since many people tend to cling on opportunities even when the utility of the same belong somewhere else. The Tononoka rally and others that Eugene Wamalwa has addressed have demonstrated beyond doubt that his growing popularity is evident in all parts of Kenya. 19th of March 2011, was very significant in Eugene’s bid for the presidency when he officially received the endorsement of New Ford Kenya Party Leader and Minister for Housing Soita Shitanda. It is worthy noting that Shitanda is the only non-ODM minister from western province. Apart from that, Soita Shitanda hails from Kakamega; the second most populated county in Kenya after Nairobi and the most populated county in western province .Ikolomani too where New Ford Kenya triumphed against ODM in the by election is also in the populous Kakamega county. The indications are already rife that Shitanda intends to run for the County’s Governor Position while Khalwale is going for the senate of the same county. In Luhya land, Eugene and New Ford Kenya following is solidly in Kakamega, TransNzoia, Bungoma and Busia Counties. The same influence is rearing its head in Vihiga County. Even though the New Ford Kenya presidential candidate enjoys fanatical following in other parts of the country, this support cannot be taken for granted for without which his candidature will be like a house built on quicksand. This support is a case of ‘charity begins at home’ G7 is an opportunity and a dream for the future of Kenya. Its conglomeration of youthful leadership presents a prospect for real change in Kenya that will usher in a new era of leadership. It is a leadership that is privy to the current world developmental trends in information technology and modernity. It’s a leadership that represents the future aspirations of this country. The progressive young people of Kenya have a future and space in this political outfit. It’s under the coalition of this group that majority of the Kenyan youth will find space to grow politically. It’s under this coalition that the young leadership at different levels will seek elective positions in different parts of the country. In such a team, Eugene Wamalwa is in the right political direction and 2012 will be evidence enough to this effect. FWAMBA NC FWAMBA is a NEC Member of New Ford Kenya The views expressed herein are personal and do not necessarily represent the party’s position

Will Raila Odinga be our Gandalf?

Arrows and shields .................................................................................. BY FWAMBA NC FWAMBA .................................................................................. In the Prof J.R.R Tolkien’s fantasy trilogy; The Lord of the Rings, the role of one character Gandalf the grey, who later becomes Gandalf the white is very conspicuous. Gandalf belongs to the group of wizards, the wisest and most knowledgeable creatures in the middle earth. Unlike Saruman; another wizard who attempts to get the ring of power for himself, Gandalf sticks to his mission of helping the middle earth rid itself of the ring of power by helping in assembling and leading the team to destroy the ring of power in the same chasm inside the crack of Mount Doom where the ring was forged. The ring of power has a history of bringing down great leaders and kings including Isildur; whose heir is Aragorn camouflaged as Strider carries the duty of reinstating Isildur’s lost glory. Gandalf’s efforts to inform Saruman about The whereabouts of the ring turns out to be a calamity for its later discovered that Saruman has defected and joined Sauron; the dark lord to claim the ring. The ring is in the shire, the land of the Hobbits. Gandalf is faced with the challenge of ensuring that the ring is destroyed before his former ally Saruman or the main antagonist Sauron land their hands on it. Kenya is a county at the crossroads now. The political challenges that face us to day are akin to the conflicts that bedeviled the middle earth. Kenyans have attempted for long to bring about change. All efforts have been futile because of the greed of the leaders that have hypocritically come together in the name of destroying the establishment of impunity and corruption have ended up being corrupt and unreliable. They have always instead just like Saruman been converted and become allies of impunity and subjects of the same ills they purported to oppose. Kenya has gone through turbulent waters since the days of colonialism. Every political step in Kenya has been a make believe to the Kenyan masses that time for national redemption has finally come. The chronology of the Kenyan leadership starting from colonialism has always been a disappointment. In Kenya’s war for independence, the freedom fighters fought to return the land that had been taken away by the British colonialists. When freedom was finally granted, the country was optimistic that with an African leader all Kenyans were going to have better lives with equal opportunity to access education and resources compared to the previous regime which had been oppressive, racist and discriminatory against Africans. It emerged that their celebrations were in vain for the new African establishment became no different from the practices of the British colonialists. Fertile lands that had previously been taken by the colonialist were then taken over and shared among the African leaders that had taken over the reigns of power. The ordinary Kenyan who had fought so hard for independence became a disappointed person. It emerged that those who were landless during the colonial period remained landless; those who were lucky got small portions of land where they stayed as squatters. It was not forgotten that those who had taken power led by Jommo Kenyatta had claimed that they wanted change for an ordinary Kenyan African who was lacked opportunities because of racism and other forms of discrimination. It was evident that the African government substituted terms but continued with the oppressive ways of the colonialist. It was not lost to Kenyans that terms like racism were replaced with tribalism. Settlers were replaced by African land grabbers. It’s known to Kenyans that it was under the African regime that those who spoke out their mind like Pio Gama Pinto, Tom Mboya, Argwings Kodhek and JM Kariuki had their lives cut short because of having alternative views on governance. In 1978, Moi became president and people who had witnessed Kenyatta’s misuse of power and practices of tribalism thought that with change in the leadership, things were going to be different. It however turned out to be more disappointing that Moi declared that he was going to ‘fuata nyayo’(follow Kenyatta’s footsteps).Under the nyayo era, Moi perfected the art of tribalism, corruption and impunity. Under Moi’s leadership, democracy was crushed and detention without trial; a law that had been put in place under Kenyatta’s regime became more effective than ever. It’s during the Moi era that many pro democracy activists and university student leaders like Tito Adungosi and Wafula Buke were jailed over trumped up charges. Many activists disappeared without trace. It’s during this same regime that saw Kenya’s first Vice President and doyen of opposition Jaramogi Oginga Odinga was put under house arrest. Under the same regime more political assassinations and mysterious deaths occurred. It was during this regime that Bishop Alexander Muge, Dr.Robert Ouko and many others died under suspect circumstances. The atrocities committed under the Nyayo regime saw progressive politicians like Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, Ahmed Salim Bahmariz, George Nthenge, Masinde Muliro, Philip Gachoka and Martin Shikuku to team up and form the Forum for the Restoration of Democracy (FORD).It was a new dawn for Kenya when after pressure from the international community Mr.Moi repealed section 2(a) of the then constitution of Kenya which ushered in multiparty politics. Greed engulfed the country, for every politician saw an opportunity to ascend to power since Moi was very unpopular. Many opposition parties were formed. After the mysterious death of Masinde Muliro at the Jommo Kenyatta International Airport three months to the general election, Ford split into two factions Ford Kenya which was led by Jaramogi with headquarters at Agip House and Ford Asili that was led by Kenneth Matiba that moved their headquarters to Muthithi House (now Occidental plaza), the Democratic Party (DP) and the Social Democratic Party were formed and registered. Young people like Ruto and Jirongo saw an opportunity to become politically relevant. They formed Youth for Kanu 92’ thereby saving Moi’s regime from extinction by mobilizing the youth vote. The divided opposition driven by greed for power lost to Moi. The same situation was repeated in 1997.The opposition fielded many presidential candidates who included Mwai Kibaki of the Democratic Party, Michael Kijana Wamalwa of Ford Kenya,Raila Odinga of National Development Party and Charity Ngilu of the Social Democratic party. The opposition lost again and the country continued wallowing in the culture of impunity. With new wisdom acquired from lessons in the past election losses, in 2002,the opposition united to defeat Moi and his ‘project Uhuru’.The optimism of Kenyans was renewd.Most Kenyans believed that with the exit of Moi, the country had been saved from all the ills that we had fought against. That was never to be for after one year, the government was grappling with corruption allegations. A mega scandal akin to the Goldenberg that had occurred during kanu’s dark days happened; the Anglo Leasing. It dawned to Kenyans that the greed for power and wish to occupy Moi’s shoes was the driving force for the opposition unity. Kenyans discovered that it was greed for power and money and not good governance that had caused the opposition to unite to defeat Moi and ‘project Uhuru. In 2007, it emerged that both the incumbent led by Mwai Kibaki and the opposition led by Raila Odinga had been in government. It was declared to be the mother of all battles. The tight race between the two presidential candidates led to a disputed result. I contend that Kenyans didn’t know what the post election violence was all about. It was about greed for power. 2012 is beckoning and we face the same challenges that Kenyans don’t have a leader who wants to create a respectable state. Kenya needs a Gandalf like figure who will not get entangled into power struggles. Kenya needs someone with an opportunity to be president but because of being selfless will choose not to seek presidency, but will assemble a new generation of leaders who will ensure the country has a new beginning. Kenya needs someone to sacrifice, someone who is above temptations for power, someone with the interest of the nation at heart. If Moi and old Kanu establishments represent Sauron and Kibaki is Saruman, is Raila going to sacrifice his presidential ambitions and be our Gandalf?