A decision by Kuria community elders to endorse Principal Secretary Nelson Marwa as their spokesman has sent political shockwaves ahead of August polls.
On January 20, Marwa was installed by elders who also endorsed ODM leader Raila Odinga's presidential bid, a decision which has seen seven elected MCAs and two aspirants join Azimio la Umoja movement.
The MCAs who were previously aligned to UDA are: Mwita Motangi (Nyabasi East), David Sarara (Nyabasi West), Joseph Hoyo (Makerero), James Chacha (Bukira Central), Francis Magori (Ntimaru West), David Sarara (Nyabasi West) and Nicholas Ngabiya (Tagare).
“Kuria community will never afford to be outside government after August 9, we will ensure we stay intact and move with other Kenyans,” Marwa said during the event at Kehancha Stadium.
Migori governor aspirant Jane Moronge who was in UDA has also moved to DAP-K, an Azimio affiliated party.
Mogendi Saiya, who unsuccessfully vied under Jubilee Party for Kuria West MP in the last elections, said he will contest the same seat under ODM.
“As a community, elders give us direction and we trust that Marwa will steer us in the right direction,” Saiya said.
In an interview with the press in Mabera town on January 21, Kuria West Mathias Robi claimed the elders’ were paid Sh15,000 each to install Mwarwa.
“We will rally the community behind William Ruto, in the past two elections we have defeated Raila in his Nyanza backyard and we will do the same on August 9, the elders’ decision is null and void,” Robi said.
Joseph Magaiwa, an elder termed Robi's sentiments as an insult saying they were not paid to make Marwa their spokesman.
“We had sixty representatives from all twelve wards in Kuria and all four clans of Nyabasi, Bwirege, Bukira and Bugumbe and we did the ceremony in broad daylight. Any remarks against the exercise are an insult to voters,” Magaiwa said.
In the 2017 polls, President Uhuru Kenyatta garnered 41,951 votes (65 percent) while Raila got 21,202 votes (34 percent) in Kuria.
(Edited by Tabnacha O)
