Why photo of Nyamira MCAs-elect with Arati, broad based MPs has raised political storm

A photo of three newly elected Nyamira MCAs with UDA leaders taken on Tuesday in Nairobi is causing political speculation within the opposition circles.

The three, Jackson Mogusu (Nyansiongo-PDP), Jeremiah Ongaro (Ekerenyo-UPA) and Chris Osiemo (Nyamaiya-UPA) were in Nairobi after securing victory in last week's by-elections.

The MCAs who are allied to former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i had met him in a hotel in Karen area for a debrief, before heading to Lavington, where they had a late lunch with Governor Amos Nyaribo.

While having lunch, the leaders were joined by Kisii Governor Simba Arati and, later on, National Assembly Majority Leader Sylvanus Osoro and UDA Treasurer Japhet Nyakundi.

It’s during this meeting that the team is said to have taken the photo as a sign of goodwill following a bruising campaign in which UDA had put up a fight in an attempt to win in Matiang’i’s background.

The picture had the two MPs, two governors and the two MPs who were joined by Nyamira CEC Jones Omwenga.

Earlier on, Governor Arati is said to have invited Matiang’i’s allied leaders, who include Nyamira Senator Okong’o Omogeni, MPs Patrick Osero (Borabu), Clive Gisairo (Kitutu Masaba), Anthony Kibagendi (Kitutu Chache South) and Obadia Barongo (Bomachoge Borabu) to a meeting in his private office.

The meeting did not take place as most of the leaders were said to be engaged in Parliament or out of town.

The photo started going viral after some UDA leaders claimed the MCAs had joined the broad-based government.

“The two newly elected MCAs in Nyamira were, in fact, broad-based candidates. UPA is fully aligned with the broad-based setup, and Governor Nyaribo, as Party Leader, praised them for delivering a broad-based triumph,” Dennis Itumbi wrote on his Facebook page on Tuesday evening.

“The United opposition had no idea how well the game was planned. Once again, congratulations, broad-based for winning in Nyamira,” he added.

UPA National Chairman Nyambega Gisesa, who was present when the photo was taken but did not pose, has denied that the meeting was meant to discuss his party joining the broad-based.

Gisesa claimed that Nyaribo held a courtesy meeting with the newly elected MCAs, after which they proceeded to lunch together.

Later, MPs Nyakundi and Osoro joined them briefly, greeted everyone, before taking a group photo as a friendly gesture of conceding defeat in the recent election.

On Wednesday, Nyaribo’s personal assistant Woody Mokua sought to dispel the claims of a truce between the UDA team and the Governor’s side.

Nyaribo’s team said the photo was nothing more than a courteous moment of goodwill after the election and that it should not be misinterpreted as a political realignment.

“Neither the Governor nor the newly elected MCAs have joined any 'broad-based arrangement' or political coalition. Claims suggesting that the lunch or photo means they have switched sides or joined a new political formation are completely false. We firmly refute them,” the aide said.

“If there were ever to be any political coalition or arrangement, it would be done properly through official negotiations between party leaders and party structures. Such agreements are formal, written, and legally binding. A simple lunch and a friendly photo do not constitute any such arrangement."