Growing list of rivals turns up heat on Governor Ranguma

When the Nation Media Group (NMG) invited top leaders from Kisumu County for the launch of its Nyanza edition paper last week, there was one big headache, that is, how Governor Jack Ranguma and Senator Anyang’ Nyong’o will be seated.

And then there was the controversial, straight-shooting Ruth Odinga, the deputy governor.

The three are fighting for the county’s governorship in next year’s elections and are engaged in intense rivalry.

The rivalry between Prof Nyong’o and Governor Ranguma is so intense that organisers of the NMG event had to have someone sit between them. The event went on smoothly though.

The high-octane political fight is on. The race for the Kisumu governorship went a notch higher on Saturday when Prof Nyong’o launched his campaign at a prayer rally in Seme. Mr Ranguma will also be endorsed at a big meeting in his home turf of Nyakach on Sunday.

Hotelier and a former chairman of an NGO, Dr Hezron Mc’obewa, who lost his bid for the ODM ticket in 2013, has also declared interest in the governorship position.

While Mr Ranguma has accused Prof Nyong’o of being a theorist, the senator has been vocal in accusing the county boss of presiding over a corrupt government that has robbed Kisumu of its city status.

The race is largely expected to be shaped by party loyalty, track record and clannism.

Then there is the Cord leader Raila Odinga factor. It is widely believed that Mr Odinga’s choice for governorship would have an advantage.

This is posing a headache for the ODM boss as the two of the perceived front runners are his allies, while the deputy governor is his sister.

Prof Nyong’o accuses Mr Ranguma of betraying the devolution dream.

“The benefits we expected to derive from devolution are yet to be realised,” argued Prof Nyong’o, a veteran of the fight for the 2010 constitution that entrenches devolution.

There has been a campaign for Ms Odinga to run for the Kisumu Central parliamentary seat, but she has been adamant that that would be a demotion.

‘ONLY AFRAID’

“Those saying that I want to be MP are only afraid of me. I am already in the governorship and there is no turning back. At the moment I am working with Mr Ranguma to build a strong county. I will contest when the race is open,” said Ms Odinga.

Other aspirants out to replace Governor Ranguma include newcomer, Mr Asaka Nyangara, who works for the United Nation’s World Food Programme in the Philippines.

The Nyakach native says he will reclaim jobs and key positions for the young.

But clannism will definitely play a major role in the gubernatorial race. Kisumu has seven constituencies namely Kisumu East, Kisumu West, Kisumu Central, Seme, Nyando, Muhoroni and Nyakach.

The four major clans in Kisumu County are the Jo-Kano from the rural areas of Nyando, Muhoroni and some parts of Kisumu East sub-counties; Jo-Nyakach from Nyakach; Jo-Kisumo who occupy Kisumu West; and Jo-Seme of Seme sub-county. The other small clan is Kajulu who occupy parts of Kisumu East.

In 2013, clannism and regional balance played a major role. Jo-Kano and Nyando sub-county got the governor’s and the woman representative positions while Seme people got the Senate seat.

Kisumu Central, which is cosmopolitan, got the Deputy Governor’s seat. Ms Odinga is a native of Siaya County. The Speaker Anne Adul hails from Seme.

The stakes are high in 2017 and the ground has really shifted and new alliances being formed across the clans.

For instance, the area MPs are already divided on who to support. Mr Shakeel Shabbir (Kisumu East), Mr Aduma Owuor (Nyakach) and Onyango K’oyoo (Muhoroni) have declared support for the incumbent.

Seme MP James Nyikal and his Nyando counterpart Fred Outa have, however, indicated they support Prof Nyong’o.

Governor Ranguma still enjoys considerable support in his turf, but Mr Outa’s move could spoil for him.

The County Assembly is also split with a good number supporting Mr Ranguma, while others are supporting Dr Mc’obewa and the Kisumu Senator.

Prof Nyong’o has won the backing of disgruntled ward representatives, including Mr Aggrey Ogosi of East Seme, Mr Moses Ochele (Wawidhi), Mr Joseph Osano (Chemelil) and Ms Pamela Omino of Central Kisumu.

SUGAR COMPANIES

Professor Nyong’o is trying to woo the Kano vote by fighting for a stop in privatisation of sugar companies. Most sugar cane farmers are from the Kano clan and the factories are dear to them.

They are also keen on having ODM Deputy Organising Secretary Rozah Buyu as the Woman Representative as she hails from Kisumo clan. Prof Nyong’o is yet to announce his deputy, who most probably might come from Nyakach.

Mr Ranguma is said to be planning to work with Mr Ochola Ogoda, a Nairobi-based quantity surveyor who lost his bid for the Senate to Prof Nyong’o in 2013.

Last month, Prof Nyong’o held a meeting with the Kisumu MCAs to lobby their support for the seat.

Dr Mc’Obewa, who is campaigning on a platform to re-unite and develop Kisumu, has accused the governor of mismanaging the county and reneging on his election pledges.

“The pledges Ranguma made during the campaigns were just a play to the gallery in search for a salary job which he got and forgot residents,” said Dr Mc’Obewa.

The emergence of a strong lobby dubbed the Kisumu Diaspora Forum (Oluwo Reru) is complicating matters for Governor Ranguma.

Members of the forum accuse Mr Ranguma of marginalising them in distribution of county jobs. They have challenged him to publish the names of non-natives employed in his administration, including ministers.

They include the Luo from neighbouring Siaya, Homa Bay and Migori. Others are Kenyans of Asian descent, the Luhya, the Abagusii and the Nubi.

Prof Nyong’o and Ms Odinga have thrown their weight behind the group.

However, the governor has dismissed the forum as a “parochial gathering” aimed at reversing economic gains by his government, but pundits claim the ‘diaspora’ might be the swing vote.

The forum conveners say its members are taxpayers in the county but their interests were not being addressed.

The governor will be riding on the development record for re-election. He counts a ward bursary fund, mechanisation of agriculture and construction of roads as his achievements.

But his critics accuse him of not fulfilling promises such as relocation of the Kachok dumpsite, and failure to revive collapsed industries.