Jirongo Rejoins Himself as Heat Rages

Poor Cyrus Jirongo! The chap chose to sulk after failing to get the preferential treatment in ODM like Ngilu. Next move? He has opted to redefect back to his Kaddu Party.

According to CJ Henry Koskei's spat at Kaddu aspirants in Matayos (Busia) was the last stroke that cracked the camel's back. Well, that sounds more of an excuse because the obvious reason lies in the fact that Jirongo's ego was balloon whose air Koskei snapped.

Self destruction
Meanwhile the Orange parties continues with their self-destructive antics in attacking themselves instead of focusing on issues meant to sell them. While one derides others as asses, the reply that I am better than my competitor as a grassroots mobiliser smacks off teenage envy (hata mimi).

An political goofing seems contagious as PNU engages in self-destruction too. The rivalry between Kanu and Narc-K is out in the open with Tuju holding empty bath tub while KAMUKA (Karua/Mungatana/Katuku) runs with the baby as signatories at ECK. Poor Moody must be left really moody.

Who is that who lied that PNU is Narc-K reincarnated for immediate ex-MPs? Well with Njoki Ndungu as the secretary to PNU's election board, some animals are obviously more equal than others. Add to the mix 13 (out of 15) Kibaki Tena's specialised directorates all coming from Mt. Kenya and you get the face of Kenya. Na bado.

ODM-K Harvests 2 Ex-Ministers

Finally ODM-K has landed two 'political heavy weights. With no sitting member decamping to join Hon Kalonzo in the race to State House, the defection of Abdi Sasura and Kyalo Kaindi to ODM-K from PNU and Kanu respectively is a tremendous boost to the stature of Chungwa Plus.

Even Moi's former ADC Sitienei is home on board MV ODM-K. He is eying the Sotik seat whose immediate ex-MP was Kimetto Stan of Biwott Kanu faction. Sitienei joins the swelling ranks of former heavy weights who have deserted the professor of politics. Signs of things to come? Well this is the only month without political tears. Only time will tell. Na bado.

Murderous fools
Elsewhere President Kibaki has put his foot down with a STERN warning to engineers of clashes in Molo and Kuresoi that they are FOOLS with no place in modern society. That is effective leadership Emilio style, na kazi iendelee.

Vijana Wagutuke na .....

Reddykulas celebrity John Kiarie aka KJ has joined ODM with eyes trained on dethroning Beth Mugo in Dagoreti. After being a major player in the countrywide Vijana Tugutuke campaign, he has finally decided to soil his hands and be part of the act.

KJ's entry into politics may just usher in fresh touch to our politics. Whether he is only fulfilling the adage of mtoto wa nyoka ni nyoka by taking after his father Ngethe who was an also-run presidential candidate in 2002 or he is the epitome of a smart mass mood reader who knows when to translate comedy fame to REALPOLITIK only time will tell. All the same his plunge into politics is the REAL head on collision he has only been caricaturing in the Buzz magazine of Sunday Nation.

We can only wish him well together with other youth like Mdomo Baggy (Kamkunji) and Kajairo (Embakassi). They are our face whom we owe support to champion our course hijacked by scoundrels.

Kibaki's lawyer reappointed commissioner
Meanwhile Kibaki has defied all pleas and sent home 5 ECK commissioners. Even Habel Nyamu could not keep his job after penning flatery articles in praise of the present regime. Kibaki has retained his lawyer Kihara Muttu who was elected last week as the ECK chair.

And there starts the stench from the dead rat. With Kivuitu's term coming to an end on December 2, he is staring fire in the face and Muttu may be ace up Kibaki's sleeve to do the necessary as ECK boss. We are living in interesting time and only God can save Kenya.

Kam Lets Party Dear Linah

The first Minister from the Marakwet community has also become the first party leader from Rift Valley after Moi. Linah Kilimo has defected and become the deputy national chair of Kenda Party whose chairman is Kamlesh Pattni aka Paul.

The smart wheeler dealer Pattni must be a savvy Kenyan with his eyes trained on results. After his third visit to Marakwet East constituency in under one month, he netted his priced catch whom he officially received at Chesoi trading centre at the weekend.

In endorsing Kenda's manifesto, ex-minister Jebii declared it is people friendly and suits the needs of her people. After consulting community leaders, ex-Mama Orange now has a party to politically bargain with while campaigning for Kibaki.

First stone
While Linah may be selfishly accused of party hoping, may the first saint of political fidelity cast the first stone. Predictably all politicians accusing her of plural loyalty will have all their stones 'unthrown'. As the theatrics enter penultimate stage, we haven't seen anything yet. Na bado

Bwana Dawa Too Joins ODM

With an average of 12 aspirants for each constituency in at least four provinces, ODM is surely a thriving business enterprise. And ex-Mr. Fixit Mark Too has joined the gravy train. And with his Eldoret South already hosting an ODM aspirant, David Koross, Bwana Dawa couldn't have been smarter to pitch tent in Emgwen where he expects to sweet PNU's Stephen Tarus off his political feet.

Better late than never for Ahmed Khalif. He too has paid up for the ODM ticket with the parting shot at North Eastern PC Kiritu Wamae to be removed for playing politics. It is all systems go this defection season. Interesting times we must be living in. Na bado.

Defection Watch: Noah Joins the Ark

Noah Katana Ngala's defection to ODM has finally brought down the curtains on Kanu. Mama na Baba has now seen all its vice chair decamp to ODM. And true to form politicians never disappoint.

After defending Kanu for ages and even attempting to wrestle it from Uhuru by ganging up with Biwotti, Ngala finally saw the light. By claiming that ODM is Noah’s Ark, the lyrical Ngala made his position and pitch known to all and sundry. He ices the cake by adding that his move is a fulfilment of the journey the Ark and his namesake undertook to rescue (Kenya). Noah couldn't stand Uhuru anymore whom he denounced for betraying Kanu's belief besides selling its identity to PNU.

So where to from here for both Kanu and Kenya? Well with the self-proclaimed professor of Kenyan politics still alive, you only write Kanu's epitaph prematurely at your own political peril. As for Kenya the future is unfolding right before our eyes and we have the unique opportunity to shape it. But will we? Only time will tell. Na bado.

Hosea Kiplagat: Defection or Deception?

Hosea Kiplagat's defection to ODM from Kanu aptly captures the adage that politics makes of strange bed fellows. But wait a minute. Politicians being the scoundrels per excellence the are, ODM brigade may be advised not to pop champagne yet.

Anybody familiar with Rift Valley politics and Moi's in particular cannot buy easily the idea of his CONFIDANT abandoning his master no matter what. During Moi's presidency Hongkong as close buddies called Hosea was the defacto MP for Baringo Central. While Kulei ran business errands, Kiplagat was Moi's eyes and eyes on the nitty gritty and on the ground.

It took Moi's personal intervention to persuade Hosea from contesting Baringo Central seat in 2002 in favour of his son, Gideon. It therefore comes as a real SHOCKER to see Moi's righthand man back Raila whom the ex-president has no good word for. In all this charade and apparent conquest their may lie a catch/trap and a big one.

Two lessons can be derived from recent events that has witnessed Moi's close confidants in the North and South Rift Valley troop to ODM. Either Moi's former blue-eyed boys have come to the realization that they have lives to live own their own, or ODM is busy fattening the serpent from within.

Payback time
If Hosea were to vie then that would be One more political enemy (read opponent) too many. After loudly falling out with Kulei, Gedion must brace himself for a duel of his life come December elections. That Hosea is his blood relation even muddies the political water more. What is more. Being senior Moi's political pointman, the locals regard him so highly and associate most developments to him. His local network would cause Giddy nightmares.

But either way, politics scores are premised more on perception than reason and reality. ODM's coup is massive even if its value remains sentimental. The psychological war may just work in creating motions than translate into real movements. One hopes they leave nothing to any trace of naivety lest they inadvertently hand over their political goose to the alley cat.

Defection Watch: Johnny Never Comes Lately

Another day of high political drama saw a second sitting cabinet Minister decamp from the Government in one week. While Emilio has rolled his sleeves and showing Kenyans that he is also hands on, EA minister John Koech decided to shade himself under Orange tree leaving PNU after enjoying honey derived from Kanu's nectar.

Trust politicians to lie through the teeth with a straight face. After defending Mama na Baba for years and flying ministerial flag courtesy of Kibaki, he has the temerity to claim that the Government he has been serving is a fraud. His reason? The President has defected and Kenyans doesn't know to which party. And after initially rubbishing ODM, he turns around to proclaim that only Raila could bring meaningful changes.

Hear the baptized and now cryptic Koech: "There are more reasons to work with Raila and there are even more reasons to leave PNU. President Kibaki has people around him who do not listen." He leaves you asking who is fooling who here and whom was he serving all those years as cabinet minister. In my book his epitomizes the height of being an unparalleled scoundrel.

Granted, defection of a cabinet minister to an opposition party is no mean feat. The symbolic coup is massive. Now that the Makerere Alumni has deserted his comrade, whether his defection would add any value in a crowded field in Chepalungu chocking with close to 20 aspirants, only time will tell.

Also joining the Orange crowd from the Rift Valley vote basket were Former Cabinet Minister Andrew Kiptoon and ex-Prisons commander Abraham Kamakil. The two defection of these two underscores the Titanic battle ahead for ODM during nominations. They leave Benjamin Sogomo (former TSC boss) and Moroto looking over their shoulders for Baringo North and Kapenguria seats respectively.

Reversed Roles
Over in Sabatia, former Posta boss, Francis Chahonyo, has ditched Kanu for Hooh Ndhi Emmh. Sabatia is again promising to witness a battle of titans. What with UASU boss Edebe, MYWO boss and now Chahonyo challenging ODM deputy captain Mudavadi?

What baffles in all the above developments is the observation that roles appear reversed. Kenyans are used to seeing politicians quitting opposition parties to the government. Not this time round. While the President appear contended with receiving defecting councillors, the opposition is netting heavy weights.

Are these indications of changed times, things to come or merely a game political musical chairs that all amount to opportunism per excellence? I personally have no idea but time never lies and it will surely tell. I have the luxury of patience and watching keenly with both eyes open. Na bado.

Defection Watch: Ngilu Goes Oranges

The soaring political heat this week has climaxed with Hon Charity Ngilu endorsing Raila Odinga’s presidential bid on ODM ticket. Her timing and manner or deliver reflected everything characteristic of Kenya’s first woman presidential candidate. She was scathing, direct, confrontational and daring.

Hear her speak: "The ghost of the Moi era has returned to haunt us. This is contrary to the expectations and mandate we were given in 2002.’’ But defection was all coming to pass. The news however rests in the perceived coup to the incumbent. She may not be bringing substantial numerical (read voters) to ODM but the effect of having a cabinet minister defect to the opposition is a massive psychological dent or boost depending on which horse you ride.

Ngilu gave ODM more ammunition by repeating the often-denied line that the Narc Government has not achieved its dream of good governance. Instead it is characterised by all negative sms: tribalism, nepotism and cronyism. In painting Kibaki’s regime as opaque, Ngilu dives into her own defence in reminding all and sundry that she remained the only member of the Narc dream still standing and adding that apart from the natural departures, most of the other players have abandoned ship.

Give it to her. Whoever crafted Ngilu's speech must have had Narc's (and by extension Kenyans dream) eulogy in mind. In reminding us that of the theme song of Yote Yawezekana was a call to national renewal and hope that turned to be a hope betrayed and a dream deferred, no epitaph would have been any better.

So by mama Rainbow choosing to abandon reigning ship to take refuge in a rescue boat, are we poised to witness more high drama these coming weeks after parliament is dissolved? I have no answer except to train my eyes singularly on the unfolding drama and enjoy every bit of it. The truth is like her hate her Ngilu has in her what many Kenyan women don’t have. To deny her that fact benefit is to engage in self deception. Na bado as the political temperature soars to shame Sahara.

Raila Odinga secretly met John Githongo in London last month

Guess what John Githongo's nickname was when he worked at State House

Defection Watch: Sambu Dumps Narc-K for ODM

To expose the spirit of scoundrels who snap all our breath in sweat as they perfect expediency, we introduce a defection watch column to update readers of Kumekucha on the fluidity of Kenyan politics. And gracing the inaugural post is Alfred Sambu decamping from the party of flowers to squeeze the Orange juice.

For the records Sambu has been a Kibaki’s man since the DP on which he used to whip his Tachoni folks in attempt to dethrone Muskari Kombo. But that is not enough. Sambu’s move to ODM is a ripple on top deep running currents of realignment in the land of Ingo. With Kombo competing to outshine Uncle Moody he is poised to clinch PNU nomination bila sweat. Sambu knows better and as the late Whispers wont to say he is neither naïve nor stupid.

Over the gender fence, madame Orie Rogo-Manduli and Prof. Kamar (Biwott's other wife) have also trouped into ODM. But not so fast. These two maybe more of liabilities than assets. Their value to ODM may not be evaluated outright. Mark you politicians are scoundrels and they don't sleep easy while the 'enemey' is on a roll.

So are these sign of things to come in the next 70+ days? I don’t know but I have the luxury and patience to watch keenly.