Abagusii leaders have resolved to raise funds to bankroll Fred Matiang’i’s 2022 presidential bid to ensure it succeeds although the CS has not come out publicly to declare his interest in the highest seat in the land.
In a meeting held at the CS’s home in Karen, Nairobi and attended by a cross section of the leaders, it was resolved that the community’s leadership on behalf of Abagusii voters in Kisii and Nyamira counties and in the diaspora, should play a major role to ensure the candidature takes the country by storm and he wins to become the fifth president of Kenya after Uhuru Kenyatta.
Those in attendance included Kisii governor James Ongwae, his Nyamira counterpart John Nyagarama, senators Sam Ongeri and Okong’o Omogeni, legislators Momoima Onyonka, Alfa Miruka, Richard Tongi, Ezekiel Machogu and quite a number of Gusii technocrats in government, notably Solicitor General Ken Ogeto, director of public health Mr Ombacho and Ken Nyaundi among others.
The meeting was a followup to a recent delegation to Raila Odinga to beseech him to endorse the CS after earlier efforts to get Raila’s endorsement in two funerals failed to yield to their expectations.
Governor Ongwae
Sources in the meeting say that it was Governor Ongwae who pitched for the community sponsorship of Matiangi’s candidature arguing that a presidential candidate must get full support kwa hali na mali of his tribe first before wooing support from other tribes and regions.
He offered to donate Sh1 billion by himself alone and requested Nyamira’s Nyagarama to give a similar amount to kickstart the community fundraising for the presidential project. Ongwae stressed that Matiang’i must seize the moment at all costs.
“This is a major community project. It is an opportunity of a lifetime which we should give a lot of seriousness. As governor I want to lead by example,” said Governor Ongwae.
Nyangarama
“This position of governor has enabled me to make very serious money which you cannot make in any business, however big. Even my colleague Governor Nyagarama will attest to this. He worked for many years in the tea industry and only made peanuts. But like me, as a governor he has made a lot of money. I urge him to also donate handsomely like me; as a way of giving back to society,” said Ongwae.
The governor who started his working life as a DO in the provincial administration just like MP Machogu who was present, surprised those in attendance by his open narration of how his fortunes have been transformed from an ordinary retiree to a billionaire since becoming Kisii governor and termed the position a big blessing and a Godsend opportunity.
“It is important to support Dr Matiang’i and ensure that he captures the presidency because he can shield and protect us in future. We need protection now and after we retire from being governors. It is also very important to support one of our own who appears to have a bright future. No doubt that Abagusii can also lead this country,” Governor Ongwae added.
Omong’eni
Governor Nyagarama confirmed his readiness to also donate a tidy sum too. He urged the senators and the MPs to organise themselves and form a fundraising committee to involve MCAs, professionals and other leaders in various fields to immediately start collecting additional funds.
During the meeting, Matiang’i expressed his pleasure with suggestions of him rising to become president of the country.
He told those present that he sees God is on his side and that nothing is likely to stop him from clinching the coveted seat especially with Uhuru Kenyatta’s endorsement, which he said is guaranteed.
Already, political leaders from the Gusii region who are opposed to the candidature of the Matiang’i for the seat of presidency have vowed that no amount of harassment, intimidation and victimisation from any quarter could make them soften their hearts, change their mind and political stand against Matiang’i.
Sam Ongeri
The leaders who are mainly members of the national and the county assembly told Weekly Citizen that they have already made their decision that they will support William Ruto for the top seat come 2022 general elections.
They have already labelled Matiang’i a dictator, egocentric, arrogant and selfish and therefore unfit to be the president of Kenya.
The leaders who were led by the North Mugirango MP Joash Nyamoko made the declaration after boycotting a meeting which had been called by Matiang’i in his Karen home in a bid to reconcile with those who were opposed to his candidature.
Ogeto
Matiangi’s dream team has tasked MPs Ben Momanyi (Borabu), Samwel Arama (Nakuru Town West), and Richard Onyonka (Kitutu Chache South) to coordinate the meeting by inviting and bringing all the elected leaders from the entire Gusii region together, including those opposed to Matiang’i’s leadership so that they iron out their political differences and chart the way forward.
The three legislators were also tasked to bring on board governors, senators, women reps and professionals from the two Gusii counties as one way of building a strong team for Matiangi’s campaign a head of the next general elections.
According to the source close to the three MPs who were doing the invitation, they chose to leave out the major critics of Matiang’i in Kisii and Nyamira in fear that if they brought them on board, they may overshadow politically by being rendered irrelevant in the Matiang’i succession politics.Among the major critics of Matiang’i who boycotted the meeting despite knowing about it are MPs Joash Nyamoko (North Mugirango), Shadrack Mose (Kitutu Masaba), Vincent Kemosi (West Mugirango), Sylvanus Osoro (South Mugirango), Alpha Miruka (Bomachoge Chache) and Innocent Obiri (Bobasi).
