President William Ruto and opposition leader-turned-ally Raila Odinga face a major political headache as Kisii leaders unite and plan to have their own party ahead of 2027.
Following the ouster of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, Kisii leaders have launched a spirited campaign to institutionalise and consolidate their heartland to enhance their bargaining power on the national stage.
For the first time, key political leaders from the region have come together following a realisation that the community lacks a structured mechanism to advance its voice given its adverse fragmentation.
There are concerns that disunity and lack of collective responsibility among leaders have led to fizzled accountability, self-aggrandisement and a sense of entitlement for a crop of politicians.
This has exposed the community to isolation and ridicule at the national level.
In what signals a new dawn that could hurt both Ruto and Raila’s political fortunes in the region, there is a strong push by most leaders across the political divide to develop political structures for engagement in the sharing of the national cake.
The structures will ensure the community’s voice is heard and considered in the leadership and management of the country following what critics argue is a sustained campaign to ignore and sideline the Omogusii community from national leadership and governance.
The isolation, leaders argue, has been escalated during the Kenya Kwanza administration.
It was further perpetuated and protected by the recent political alignment that birthed the broad-based government following Ruto’s deal with Raila.
There is a feeling that the region is courted by political bigwigs during election time for votes, but because the community lacks unity of purpose or institutionalised mechanisms, its interests are swept under the carpet immediately after elections are over.
According to the 2019 Kenya National Demographic statistics, the Kisii community had 2.7 million people, and it is projected to rise above three million by 2027.
The community is also heavily represented in the local and foreign diaspora, with its interests spread across major sectors of the economy and a colossal contribution to diaspora remittances.
It is against this background that leaders believe that if the community fully exploits its potential that saddles many sectors, and leverages its numbers and economic muscles to consolidate a solid and structured approach, it will become a force to reckon with.
“The Omogusii community is industrious and well-spread because of its adventurous nature,’’ university lecturer Adams Onchweri says.
“If it comes together and realises the space it should occupy in the country, then it will consolidate itself to enhance its role within the leadership and management of the country.
“The community can come together to fight for its interests through a political party that will structure and institutionalise how it relates with others for the social, political and economic benefit of its population.’’
Amid the push for the community to institutionalise its interests in a political party so as to consolidate its political potential and enhance bargaining power, political leaders from the region reckon that the process is long overdue.
There are concerns that most signature development projects in Kisii and Nyamira counties were initiated during the Mwai Kibaki era of 2002-07, when the community was galvanised through Ford People.
The same happened between 2007 and 2012, when the community’s Ford People party, through the late Simeon Nyachae, partnered with Kibaki’s PNU party to secure a controversial term in office.
Then, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga was also forced to pick senior government officials from the region, including Cabinet Ministers and Assistant Ministers, in a bid to woo and appease the community.
A number of PSs were also picked from both sides, as Kibaki and Raila endeared themselves to the community, in what remains to be the most consequential ever era that thOmogusii had in government.
Considered a Raila zone, the community is now seeking to assert its political power and use its influence and numbers to enhance its bargaining power at the national level, threatening to spoil the ground for the ex-PM and Ruto.
Former South Mugirango MP and Kenya National Congress Party leader Manson Nyamweya told the Star that leaders from the Omogusii community must “stop the hypocrisy and rally together” for the benefit of the community.
“I fully support the idea of the Omogusii community coming together under one political party, but leaders must stop idle talk and act,’’ the former Assistant Minister said.
“People must stop running away to alien political parties like ODM and UDA and instead embrace their own.”
Key leaders have argued that Gachagua was easily kicked out of office because he was vulnerable given that he lacked a political party and, therefore, did not institutionalise his interests to secure his shares.
Analysts say his undoing was being “blindfolded” into the UDA party without engaging in concrete negotiations with Ruto to secure his interests prior to the polls.
In what is increasingly morphing into a community quest for recognition and appreciation within the national platform, senior politicians from the region have called for unity of purpose ahead of the 2027 polls.
While leaders differ on whether they will form a new party, join existing ones or fold registered ones for a mega community coalition or alliance, they agree broadly on ending ‘’disrespect and contempt targeted at the community”.
“Time has come for the Omogusii community to speak in one voice under one political party so that we can fight for the interests of our people, including securing development for the community,” Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka said.
Onyonka, who was elected on the ODM party ticket, said the Omogusii community is suffering under the current political dispensation because of the failure to have a regional party.
“It is not a secret, as a community we are preparing for our political vehicle and come 2027, we shall speak in one voice, consolidated and institutionalised to bargain for Omogusii,’’ he said.
“Currently, ODM leader Raila Odinga has not given us any position in the broad-based government.”
Onyonka said the philosophy behind the clamour for a regional political vehicle is to institutionalise and structure the Omogusii community’s interests with a view to consolidating its bargaining powers in the country’s political arena.
There have been concerns that although the Omogusii community is depicted by its strong presence in the country and diaspora, it has become a Trojan horse for ambitious politicians who ignore it after assuming office.
Professionals from the Omousii community and scholars have stepped up sensitisation for the community’s regional political vehicle, arguing that like in other democracies in the world, political liberties based on tribal identities must be protected and not condemned.
Scholars driving the agenda argue that the Omogusii community will only be respected if it has a political voice.
Former South Mugirango MP Omingo Magara on Thursday warned that the community is ready for a major renaissance that will drastically alter the country’s political landscape.
He said the big boys like ODM have failed to appreciate its support.
Magara, who is also the leader of the People’s Democratic Party, said the Omogusii community is fed up with what he termed political contempt from the so-called big boys, whom he said continuously ignore the region upon ascending to power.
“The idea of the Omogusii community coming together under a regional political vehicle is long overdue. The impeachment of Gachagua should be an awakening call to us Omogusii leaders that if we don’t unite, we shall be hanged separately,’’ Magara said.
Like in 2002, when Ford People swept all elective seats in Kisii and Nyamira counties under its presidential candidate Nyachae, leaders say the planned political movement will consolidate the community.
“For long, we have never appreciated the political potential of the Omogusii community because we lack loyalty for one of our own,’’ Magara said.
“But if our call for political unity would restructure PDP for a coalition of Kisii parties, then I am ready.”
Magara accused Raila of using the community’s numbers for political bargaining to benefit his own people, saying the ODM boss has failed to honour the Omogusii nation with even a single Cabinet slot.
“We must appreciate that 2002 was a case study and rally together as a community so that we can institutionalise our interests and enhance chances for opportunities,’’ he said.
“I implore leaders that we must come together to fight the contempt we are seeing from the big boys.”
Former Bomachoge Borabu parliamentary aspirant and Ford People stalwart Albert Nyaundi said Gachagua’s impeachment is a wake-up call.
It shows that political parties are powerful machines for negotiations in national leadership, he said.
“The spirit of the 2010 Constitution anticipated a Kenya free of nepotism and tribal hegemony,’’ Nyaundi said.
“Where would that be best-natured than in the political landscape, beginning with party membership and leadership? Big parties like ODM, Jubilee and UDA were formed on that trajectory."
“However, what has been witnessed lately, in practical terms, is evidence that regionalism is playing a big role in the political survival of individuals and the regions. Therefore, the Abagusii are not wrong in demanding a political vehicle of their own.’’
In what is seen as part of the process of consultations aimed at forging unity among Kisii leaders, MPs from the region held a meeting on Wednesday in Nairobi to lay the ground for future engagements.
The meeting was attended by all elected and nominated MPs from both Kisii and Nyamira counties.
It reflected on the community’s place in national government and set the stage for more bidding to ensure bigger stake inclusion.
For the first time, MPs crossed ranks to hold the forum that was led by National Assembly Majority Whip Sylvanus Osoro, UDA National Treasurer Japhet Nyakundi (Kitutu Chache North) and Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka.
“The meeting was about development and fostering unity for the benefit of our people,” Osoro said after the meeting.
“By pooling resources and aligning our goals, we aim to create tangible improvements for the common mwananchi.”
North Mugirango MP Joash Nyamoko (UDA), who attended the meeting, said there is a lot of ground that must be covered for leaders from the region to speak in one voice.
He said working on another political party is not the only option because there are deep-seated issues that must be ironed out among leaders to foster unity of purpose in the wake of the realisation that the community could have been overlooked.
“Unlike other tribes that have tribal kings, our community does not enjoy the benefit of a regional kingpin that can act as a unifying factor,’’ Nyamoko said.
“That vacuum has given the big boys the latitude to use the community as a voting machine.
“We called ourselves together to reflect and ask ourselves tough questions on where we are and where we want to go. It was a lamenting platform on how the community has been marooned.
“We agreed that if we unite and speak in one voice, we will not be ignored. However, we are not there yet where we can say we have agreed on a party.”
Leaders across the political divide are seeking to unite to bridge the gaps and push for the community’s interests as the country hurtles towards the 2027 polls.
There are indications that Raila
could support Ruto’s re-election bid
in 2027, but his bargaining power
could be hurt if the Kisii community
could chart its own political path.
