Two key significant issues of national political realignment have emerged, making the weekend gathering in Kitale to mark the 23rd anniversary of the death of former Vice-President Michael Kijana Wamalwa more than a memorial.
The occasion, hosted by his brother Eugene Wamalwa, brought together an impressive collection of politicians. Former President Uhuru Kenyatta was the chief guest and launched a book on Wamalwa, while Kalonzo Musyoka, Martha Karua, Fred Matiang’i, Charity Ngilu, Justin Muturi, Musikari Kombo, Noah Wekesa, Peter Salasya and others joined the gathering.
The presence of many opposition figures in one place was a great political statement. They represented different parties and their respective ambitions. However, for a few hours they were in Kitale, they were united by the memory of a politician whose own career was shaped by the search for broader political alliance.
The gathering evoked memories of the 2002 elections, when opposition parties that had spent years competing eventually found common ground and formed the National Rainbow Coalition that ended KANU’s long hold on power. At the meeting, Ngilu and Eugene Wamalwa were quick to draw the Narc parallel, and a reflection on whether the desire to defeat an incumbent can overcome the individual ambitions that normally make opposition unity so difficult.
Despite the show of opposition political unity, one key missing link was outstanding. Edwin Sifuna, one of the most prominent figures in the Linda Mwananchi movement, was not there despite leaders associated with the movement having been invited. Neither was Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya, whose political association with the movement makes his absence particularly noticeable in an event held in his own county.
Sifuna’s absence was especially intriguing because his political influence has been moving beyond his Nairobi base. His recent political forays have taken him into areas where established political leaders have traditionally enjoyed considerable influence. His prominent presence at the recent burial of Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale’s wife was one indication that he is increasingly becoming a factor in Western Kenya politics.
As Charity Ngilu spoke about the mistakes of 1997 and warned that only fools repeat their mistakes, sections of the crowd began chanting “Sifuna Tosha”. The interruptions became so pronounced that Ngilu was at one point compelled to acknowledge Sifuna before proceeding with her speech.
The crowd sideshows and the absence of Sifuna revealed underlying issues in the opposition unity quest, especially viewed against the backdrop of the recent burial ceremony of Boni Khalwale’s wife, when Eugene was told by Khalwale to back Sifuna rather than negotiate with him.
Later, when Uhuru Kenyatta said the wananchi would ultimately decide who should carry the opposition’s presidential ticket, the crowd again responded with chants of Sifuna. This provides a good illustration of the problem confronting the opposition. Though significant, Sifuna’s absence does not diminish the significance of the Kitale gathering. The presence of Kalonzo, Karua, Matiang’i, Ngilu, Muturi, Eugene Wamalwa and the other leaders suggests that the idea of a broad opposition front is a reality.
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The leaders themselves appear increasingly conscious that going into 2027 divided could once again squander their combined strength, as Noah Wekesa warned at the event. The restraint displayed by some of the speakers in Kitale was, therefore, significant.
Musikari Kombo and Wekesa largely avoided turning the memorial into a platform for open political combat, although Wekesa did make a case for being given an opportunity to lead the opposition unity effort. The tone suggested that the leaders understood the importance of keeping the gathering together rather than allowing it to become another arena for competing ambitions.
Uhuru’s presence added another dimension. As a former president with considerable political influence, he could have used the occasion to tilt the discussion towards one of the competing camps. Instead, his emphasis that the wananchi would ultimately decide the opposition flag-bearer left the question deliberately open. But the chants that followed showed that the question is already being contested outside the negotiating rooms.
The absence of Sifuna and Natembeya, followed by the crowd’s insistence on Sifuna, was a reminder that another political current is developing alongside the established opposition figures. The two currents may eventually converge or compete for the same political space.
The Wamalwa memorial offered a striking picture of the two possibilities. The leaders appeared to understand the lesson of 2002, that a divided opposition forces can lose an election they have the numbers to win. On the other hand, both Sifuna and Natembeya’s no show, the later in his own political stronghold, pointed a different picture altogether.
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