Political rivalry pitting the Abagetutu and the Abanyaribari clans played out during the launch of Kisii county gubernatorial candidate Ezekiel Machogu’s campaigns recently where he skipped Governor James Ongwae’s Bogetutu clan while bringing on board his Nyaribari clan, Bomachoge, Bonchari and Bogirango clans.
Machogu who is the MP for Nyaribari Masaba and was first elected on little known National Agenda Party during the last general elections has vowed to finish Senator Sam Ongeri who is also eyeing the gubernatorial seat.
Machogu says that Bogetutu clan has enriched themselves enough from the county resources and should give way since the other clans have been kept at bay waiting even after massively voting for their man twice.
During the 2007 general elections, Ongeri then riding on a Kanu ticket applied the rules of power to outsmart Machogu who had arrived with a bang with the rising ODM euphoria and sent him to the political cold for another 10 years.
The former administrator turned politician hosted delegates from with each bringing with former mayor Wilfred Monyenye, Kisii Central MCA Kefa Mogaka and Gusii council of elders chairman James Matundura representing the Nyaribari clan, former MCA Wilfred Machage and former local Knut treasurer Zebedeo Nyaboga representing the Nyaribari clan, former Gusii county council chairman David Nyakoi representing the Bonchari clan and former MCA George Bibao representing the Bomachoge clan.
Political observers aver that Machogu is dancing in the political wilderness having sidelined the Abagetutu clan which has a rich history of leadership and given the fact that all clans from the region migrated from the area to their present settlements.
During the event, former Ichuni ward MCA Francis Aburi and pastor Kennedy Michira were the master of ceremonies which saw those in attendance part with Sh1000 albeit with no clear political lineup for being a stranger in Kisii politics and failure to put his house in order before reaching out to other clans.
Sam Ongeri
As things stand, Ongeri who has served as a MP, minister and now senator has reached out to Kitutu Chache South MP Richard Onyonka, Kisii county women representative Janet Ong’era and former South Mugirango MP Omingo Magara to test the waters with deputy governor Joash Maangi from the neighbouring Bomachoge clan which does not have a gubernatorial candidate so far.
Incidentally, Maangi is the only one who has put in places his campaign structures and machinery besides endearing himself to the deputy president William Ruto which has enabled him to go places and interact with all and sundry.
Machogu’s entry into the gubernatorial race is seen as personal revenge against Ongeri having kicked off his campaigns immediately he was elected as the MP even before a homecoming ceremony for his voters where he has been rubbishing Ongeri’s brand of politics which he says made the area lag behind in terms of development.
Kitutu Chache MP Richard Onyonka
A notable candidature from the Nyaribari clan is that of Rachael Otundo from the Kamba Nane clan who has vied for the seat of MP in Nyaribari Chache and as a speaker of the Kisii county assembly where she has been wrestling with men and she has kept on with the fight.
Ongeri in his bid to get support for the gubernatorial seat has backed Ocharo Kebira from the Kamba Nane clan for the area’s parliamentary seat while Machogu has landed on the son of former area MP the late Hezron Manduku, Robert Manduku from the Botondo sub clan.
Other candidates who have intensified their campaigns for the Nyaribari Masaba parliamentary seat are former area MP Elijah Moindi and Joel Gesuka who have been attending various social functions in the area.
What is turning out to haunt Machogu’s candidature is his failure to convince his Nyaribari Chache counterpart Richard Tong’i and the chairman of the Kisii county assembly parliamentary group Samwel Apoko and Benson Ongeri who is the MCA for Gesusu ward with whom they share the same sub clan of Boguche.
