OPINION
Njuguna Wanjiku, Moses Kuria and Ndindi Nyoro celebrate after poll win in Kiambaa. [John Muchucha, Standard]
Kenyan lovers of European football and of local politics received thrilling treats barely four days apart. On July 11, 2021 England took on Italy at Wembley. Although Italy outplayed England, it had to go to penalty shootouts for Italy to win. Thereafter, England soccer goons turned on their own players who missed penalty kicks. On July 15, 2021 political fans watched an intense Jubilee intra-mural contest that featured President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto.
The Kiambaa by-election contest was unusual. It is one of the few by-elections in Kenya that attracted attention because of the subsequent impact on the country’s political future. There had been, for instance, the February 1989 mlolongo by-election in Kiharu that increased cracks in Kanu’s power monopoly. There was open cheating rather than contest, but it helped to build up multi-par
Kiambaa election must worry Raila more than Uhuru
POLITICS
President Uhuru kenyatta with ODM leader Raila Odinga. [Collins Oduor, Standard]
Last week’s Kiambaa by-election may very well be the call of the bugle and the tolling of political bells, ahead of the August showdown next year.
Kiambaa and Juja before it, are an inoculation against what is coming next year. It will steel up the Jubilee Party and its allies for a tough fight ahead, while sending the victors back to the political laboratories to prepare an even more lethal political germ.
The Nasa principals, led by Raila Odinga of ODM, will do well not to ask for whom the bells toll. For they toll for them, and not for President Uhuru Kenyatta.
OKA partners lag behind as Mudavadi intensifies 2022 campaign The Star ANC party leader Musalia Mudavadi receives coffee gift from Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga during his two-day visit of Nyeri. The coffee is grown, processed and packaged in Nyeri Image: EUTYCAS MUCHIRI
• Starting off a two-day tour of Nyeri, Mudavadi on Saturday sought Mt Kenya governors support in his 2022 presidential bid.
• In a clear indication that he could run for president solo as he did in 2013, Mudavadi has increased visibility touring various parts of the country.
ANC leader Musalia has intensified his 2022 presidential campaigns, even as his One Kenya Alliance co-principals appear uninspired 13 months to the general election
THE STANDARD
CLAY MUGANDA
A policeman keeps an eye on voters at Karuri primary school during the just concluded Kiambaa by-election.[George Njunge,Standard]
The by-elections in Kiambaa Constituency and Muguga Ward in Kiambu County have held Kenyans’ political imagination hostage for the past few months. They were billed as a titanic battle of wits between President Uhuru Kenyatta and his erstwhile political buddy Deputy President William Ruto. They were even more significant because they were in President Kenyatta’s political backyard.
The high-stakes political contest was also just 13 months away from next year’s General Election. It was no wonder then that the president’s high-powered team conducted a well-oiled campaign for the two seats, while the DP’s new outfit touted the contest as a do-or-die affair. Indeed, both camps claimed the outcome would demonstrate who the political lion in Mt Kenya region is.
JB Muturi will be a formidable force in 2022 polls and beyond standardmedia.co.ke - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from standardmedia.co.ke Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.