Northern counties strategise to boost bargaining power

Despite Jubilee Party's double-barrelled plan to court regions that did not vote for Jubilee Alliance in the 2013 General Election, leaders in northern Kenya continue forming new political parties.

The new political vehicles, which are delinked from the two major blocs – Jubilee Party and the National Super Alliance, have rattled politics in two counties of northern Kenya.

First was the Economic Freedom Party (EFP) by Mandera leaders led by senator Billow Kerrow and then Marsabit’s Frontier Alliance Party (Fap), which backs Uhuru Kenyatta’s presidential re-election bid. Initially, leaders from the nomadic communities had mooted plans to form one party to bring all political leaders under one roof. The initiative was led by Mr Kerrow.

During the pastoralist forum in Isiolo in March last year, the communities’ representatives said the new party would be used as a negotiation platform, declaring that they would not renege on their push for the new political outfit.

The meeting, to map the region’s political direction, was attended Isiolo, Mandera, Wajir, Garissa, Marsabit, Turkana, West Pokot, Baringo, Laikipia, Samburu, Tana River, Lamu, Kajiado and Narok leaders. The declaration came a day after President Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto asked leaders in the region to support them.

In Mandera, EFP was a creation of leaders backing the negotiated democracy by the powerful council of elders. With the new development, the battle for the county leadership was between those for and against negotiated democracy.

The incumbent governor Ali Roba, a staunch Jubilee supporter, will defend his seat against the wishes of the council that has endorsed former Rift Valley commissioner Hassan Noor Hassan.

NOT THREAT

But Mr Roba has said the new party is not a threat to his political ambitions. The governor said Mr Kerrow and the elders attempted to arm-twist the Jubilee leadership but failed. The governor dismissed EFP, saying it had nothing to deliver to Mandera or to any coalition.

In Marsabit, Governor Ukur Yatani, who is Fap’s leader, told the Nation after consultations with locals, that they had decided to form the party to push for the interests of the pastoralist communities.

“We want to take leadership instead of relying on other parties. We want to become the masters of our own political destiny,” he said, adding that they had a pact with Jubilee Party to be part of the next government after elections.

He added: “Livestock issues have never been an economic priority for this country. That is the story we want to change through our own party.”

Fap was changed from Saba Saba Asili that was led by Kenneth Matiba. Its leaders are Mr Yatani, Laisamis MP Joseph Lekuton (deputy party leader), Moyale MP Roba Duba (chairman), North Horr MP Chachu Ganya (secretary-general) and Joe Kanguchu (organising secretary).

Last week, Devolution Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri, who represented the President at Fap’s launch, said Jubilee will not give preference to its aspirants in Marsabit at the expense of those in Fap.