Azimio’s zoning plan wise but will be uphill task, says analyst

 

Confusion is looming in Taita Taveta county following proposed zoning by the Azimio la Umoja One Keny Coalition in the region.

Zoning is meant to tame sibling rivalry among the affiliate parties in the jumbo coalition.

The gubernatorial, senate and woman representative races have more than five candidates each from the coalition, a fact that analyst Christopher Musyoka says might hand easy victory to the UDA team.

“It is the best way political parties and coalitions should have employed since the clearing process. Having so much rivalry within is a recipe for failure and it will definitely give a lifeline to their opponents,” Musyoka said.

However, Musyoka said the Azimio coalition will have an uphill task in convincing the weaker candidates to step down for those perceived to be strong.

“Every candidate goes to an election expecting to win. It is not clear the methodology that the coalition will use to force some candidates to step down,” he said in an interview on Tuesday.

He further pointed out that zoning might push away some Azimio supporters, which will be an advantage to Kenya Kwanza candidates.

The hotly contested gubernatorial race in the county has attracted 13 candidates, with four vying on Azimio-affiliated parties.

They are incumbent Governor Granton Samboja (Jubilee), former senator Dan Mwanzo (Wiper), Patience Nyange (Narc), George Mwandembo (DAP-K) and Tom Mwakwida of ODM.

For the Senate seat, four candidates in the coalition are facing off. They are incumbent Jones Mwaruma (ODM), former Wundanyi MP Thomas Mwadegu (Wiper), Stephen Odiaga of Muungano party and Sagalla MCA Godwin Kilele (Jubilee).

Another showdown is expected in the woman rep seat where the coalition has four candidates in former woman rep Joyce Lay (Jubilee), Catherine Mashame (ODM), Getrude Shuwe (DAP-K) and Wiper’s Esther Mwanyumba.

Sources privy to the zoning plan have hinted that the coalition is planning to endorse Samboja for governor while Mwaruma and Lay will fight for Senate and woman rep respectively.

In the Taveta constituency, Azimio has three candidates facing stiff competition from UDA’s former youth president Didas Mzirai.

The candidates are long-serving legislator Naomi Shaban (Jubilee), Moris Mutiso (ODM) and Bwire Okano (Wiper).

The coalition is said to be planning to convince both Mutiso and Okano to step down for Shaban.

On Tuesday, gubernatorial candidate Nyange, however, dismissed the claims as baseless, noting that she will be on the ballot.

“My party leader Charity Ngilu told me to carry on to the finishing line, from where I sit there is nothing like zoning," Nyange said during an interview on local radio in Voi on Tuesday.

Further, ODM county strategist Oginga Randiki revealed that there is going to be harmonisation and rationalisation of candidates within the Azimio.

“The priority strategy of the process is to enable Azimio to field one candidate per elective seat in order to enhance its chances for clinching majority seats,” Randiki said.    BY THE STAR