By Anderson Ojwang
The spirit of the late doyen Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, the founder of Ford-Kenya, may have finally departed from the party, and now it could be limping to its grave.
The final departure of Jaramogi’s spirit came with the death of his son, the late Raila Amolo Odinga, in October last year, who was also a founder and a member of the Young Turks.
In Raila, the spirit of Ford-K remained alive even after he resigned and joined the now-defunct National Development Party (NDP) after its merger with KANU.
Ford-K, once a national and vibrant party for the last three decades, witnessed dwindling fortunes after the deaths of Jaramogi and the late Wamalwa Kijana.
After the death of Oginga, Ford-K was embroiled in a power struggle between the Wamalwa–James Orengo axis and Jaramogi’s son, Raila.
The all-out power struggle left Ford-K disadvantaged after Raila resigned from the party and from Parliament, and sought re-election on the ticket of the now-defunct National Development Party (NDP).
Raila won the subsequent by-election on the NDP ticket, and that marked a mass defection from Ford-K to NDP in the 1997 General Election in Jaramogi’s political strongholds.
Ford-K lost in most of Jaramogi’s strongholds, save for Bungoma and Trans Nzoia, where it became dominant.
The November Chwele–Kabuchai Ward By-Election
Last year, during the Chwele–Kabuchai ward by-election — the home turf of the party leader and Speaker of the National Assembly, Moses Wetang’ula, and Bungoma Governor Kenneth Lusaka — the party candidate lost to an independent candidate.
The loss was a condemnation of Ford-K and Wetang’ula, who for the last two decades have been the dominant political players in the region.
The by-election was so important to Wetang’ula that he was on the ground to vote and ensure the results went according to his wish.
Wetang’ula wrote on his X handle:
“This morning I cast my vote at Namakhele Primary School during the Chwele–Kabuchai ward by-elections. I urged our residents to come out in large numbers and exercise their democratic right without fear, assuring them that adequate security officers had been deployed across the area.”
Wetang’ula, in a high-powered entourage comprising Bungoma Governor and Deputy Party Leader Kenneth Lusaka, Senator Wafula Wakoli, Secretary-General John Chikati, and Members of the County Assembly led by Deputy Speaker Stephen Wamalwa, still lost the election.
“We called on the electorate to stay united and protect the political heritage of our great party,” he said then.
But to his political opponents, defeating Wetang’ula and Ford-K marked a new dispensation in the region and ushered in political freedom.
DAP-K wrote on its Facebook page:
“Pale Kabuchai, Mamba amezama katika mazingira yake (Kabuchai, the crocodile has drowned in its own environment). Even a crocodile can die in water, so trust me, bad days happen to everyone. Mamba kesha zalama (crocodile, sleep well).”
The independent candidate, Erick Wekesa, defeated Ford-K’s Vincent Maunda, redefining the region’s politics and establishing Governor George Natembeya as a possible emerging and influential political player in the Bukusu community.
Wekesa was fronted by Natembeya, former Bungoma Governor Wyclif Wangamati, and Kabuchai MP Majimbo Kalasinga, who have all fallen out with Wetang’ula to rewrite the political story of the region.
Sifuna’s Mantra in Luhya Land
Ford-K and Wetang’ula now have to contend with the emergence of Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, who is fast rising in the national political landscape.
Sifuna, a protégé of Raila and the Secretary-General of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), has stormed into national political stardom after the formation of the Linda Mwananchi faction within ODM, which opposes a pre-election coalition with President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
The Linda Mwananchi faction has held two successful rallies in Busia and Kakamega, which have radically changed the politics of the region.
Already, MPs from the region are rallying behind Sifuna to be a presidential candidate, while Wetang’ula and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi have declared interest in the presidency in 2032 and will be supporting President Ruto’s re-election.
Kabuchai MP Majimbo Kalasinga warned that MPs opposed to Sifuna will be voted out in the 2027 General Election.
“If you come from Western and you don’t sing Sifuna’s song, you are going home. Those who want to contest for the presidency in 2027, we have no problem with them. For us, we have Sifuna as our 2027 presidential candidate,” he said.
The possible entry of Sifuna in the presidential contest may be the last straw that breaks the camel’s back, and Ford-K may breathe its last in the 2027 elections.
Wanyonyi’s Gubernatorial Candidature: A Nightmare for Ford-K
Apart from Sifuna’s wave, Ford-K and Wetang’ula will have to contend with Westlands MP Tim Wanyonyi, who has declared interest in the gubernatorial seat.
Tim will not run for the seat on a Ford-K ticket, and his candidature is a nightmare for the party in its backyard.
Party leaders and organs have promised him a battle of his life.
“The only party I cannot contest against is Ford-K, but I don’t know which party I will use,” he said.
In a swift rejoinder, Ford-K Secretary-General John Chikati said the party will conduct its nomination for the gubernatorial candidate and had not settled on Tim Wanyonyi.
“At no time have we talked with Tim Wanyonyi, either at the management level of Ford Kenya or in a structured way, that he is going to be our governor and that we are going to campaign for him. So we are shocked that he is saying he is not going to vie on a Ford Kenya ticket as if he is a member of Ford Kenya. He is fighting a losing battle,” he said.
Senator Wafula Wakoli said:
“We were looking for a leader who would unite all parties, residents, and tribes together, but my brother Tim has shown that he is not the person we thought he was. He has removed the burden that was on our shoulders as Ford-K leaders, and we are ready.”
Tim teamed up with Natembeya, Wangamati, and Majimbo Kalasinga, among others, during the recent Chwele–Kabuchai ward by-election to defeat Ford Kenya in the ward contest.
