By Standard Team
President Kibaki's Party of National Unity celebrated Chirau Ali Mwakwere’s triumph in Matuga as Orange Democratic Movement nursed political scars from the race.
PNU swam in joy as the nation woke up to the news Mr Mwakwere had trounced Hassan Mwanyoha from Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s ODM by 5,463 votes — eclipsing what was earlier billed to be a tight race between PNU and ODM.
The huge gap, coming after ODM failed to reclaim its South Mugirango seat, and which dashed Raila party’s hopes of winning Matuga to replenish its numbers in Parliament, is bound to stir interest on the possible impact of the divisions in the Orange party.
Chants of "Dzipapa! Dzipapa! Lamkani kudzecha," (Big shark, wake up, it’s dawn)," broke the early morning silence in Matuga as Interim Independent Electoral Commission announced the former Transport minister garnered 16,350 votes.
‘Dzipapa’ has been Mwakwere’s campaign slogan for popularising the Coast-based Shirikisho Party of Kenya, which is a PNU affiliate.
Mr Mwanyoha was second with 10,887 while United Democratic Movement (UDM) candidate Kassim S Tandaza garnered 5,165. Isaack Mutula of the Labour Party of Kenya (LPK) got 134 votes.
A beaming Mwakwere told journalists outside the counting hall, "This victory defines peace, unity and co-existence among Matuga people, and I dedicate it to the voters."
He claimed the victory was a triumph for the people of Matuga and Kenya. He also gave credit to Vice- President Kalonzo Musyoka and PNU chairman George Saitoti who campaigned for him in Matuga.
Mwakwere was driven to his rural home at Ziwani, on the outskirts of Kwale town in a convoy of 30 vehicles that disrupted early morning business.
PNU MPs Johnstone Muthama, Philip Kaloki (Kibwezi MP), and PNU Executive director Jasper Nyamboga, and party activists Stanley Livondo and Charles Karigithu, and Kanu’s Ali Mwatsahu were with him at the Matuga constituency tallying centre.
Mwakwere’s triumph is attributed to several factors that include poor strategies by ODM, Mwakwere’s marshalling of the ‘local’ vote against the so-called originally non-coastal groups, as well as his use of the vacant seat in the Cabinet as one reserved for him by Kibaki. The Matuga by-election and the results of several civic by-elections could be a wake-up call for ODM, which is split into two groups; one led by Raila and another by Higher Education Minister William Ruto.
ODM, which has been the party of choice in the Rift Valley, lost three seats civic seats in the province, which is also the bedrock of the ‘No’ team.
Those who supported Mwakwere argue ODM’s campaign style in Matuga went against the public mood. During the campaigns, ODM lost the propaganda war and actually played into PNU’s trap.
Those campaigning for the former Transport minister promised the residents of Matuga Mwakwere would retain his Cabinet position if they re-elected him.
In trying to counter this promise, ODM told voters they should be voting for an MP and not a Cabinet minister. During one of the final rallies, Deputy Prime Minister and ODM deputy leader Musalia Mudavadi told the residents the flag was not important.Ministerial flag
Immediately the rally ended, Mudavadi’s statement was the talk of the constituency and locals greeted it with the refrain "kwanini yeye asipanguzie bendera yake uso?" (Why can’t he use his ministerial flag as a handkerchief?).
The choice of ODM point men dispatched to Matuga also worked against the party candidate. Kisauni MP Hassan Joho, who is also ODM organising secretary, led the campaigns for Mwanyoha.
But the party’s activities were seen by the locals as an attempt by Mombasa tycoons to install a leader of their choice in Matuga.
"The interference of the Mombasa tycoons was seen as a ploy to later use the ODM candidate for their own interest and not those of the Digo people," said Shirikisho Party of Kenya Secretary General, Yusuf Abubakar. Even though Prime Minister Raila Odinga was sick during the last weeks of the campaign, the party’s choice of sending leaders who were mainly from the western part of Kenya also portrayed the divisions and level of indifference in ODM.
The absence of Tourism Minister Najib Balala whose Mvita constituency is a stone-throw away from Matuga, also spoke volumes about the ODM’s preparedness and unity.
Worse still, it is believed the faction led by Ruto was pulling in a separate direction, although silently. This team did not come out to support Mwanyoha, and were not even seen in Matuga.
The loss in Matuga comes hot on the heels of ODM’s defeat in South Mugirango last month. Even though the candidate supported by PNU during the South Mugirango by-election also lost, ODM was the biggest loser because it had won the seat in the 2007General Election.
Even though Mwakwere was the one who was complaining about the impartiality of the Interim Independent Electoral Commission officials during the campaigns in Matuga, on Monday night as the results trickled in, showing ODM had trailed in almost all 101polling stations, Orange officials cried foul. They claimed the campaigns were not fair and were rocked by bribery. "ODM had complained but the party was ignored," Joho said.
But while declaring Mwakwere the winner, Matuga returning officer Hellen Sidi Kahindi defended IIEC, saying it was impartial. "The results I am about to announce are not manufactured by IIEC. They reflect the decision of Matuga people," she said.
Coast Parliamentary Group Chairman Benedict Gunda (ODM) described the loss as unfortunate and also alleged money was ‘poured’. "PNU used too much money on the last days of the campaigns, and this is why we lost," he claimed.
Before they left the tallying hall shortly after midnight on Tuesday, ODM Secretary General, Anyang’ Nyong’o alleged the by-election was marred with voter malpractices.
"While the campaigns towards the election proper were generally peaceful, there were instances where PNU side resorted to bad utterances that bordered on hate speech and massive voter bribery," Nyong’o alleged.
"We shall press upon the Government to investigate these utterances and take stern action against those found to be culpable," Nyong’o said.
Lands Minister, James Orengo, who was also in Matuga, said ODM was still popular despite the loss.
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