Will Gachagua's new ally turn the tables in Magarini by-election?

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua is set to challenge ODM and UDA in the Magarini parliamentary by-election slated for November 27 this year after he recruited Mr Stanley Kenga to his Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP).

UDA had stopped Mr Kenga from challenging the ODM nominee and immediate former MP, Mr Harrison Garama Kombe, leading to his dramatic move to Mr Gachagua’s camp so as to have his name on the ballot.

The political deal struck by President William Ruto and ODM party leader Raila Odinga was meant to strengthen the broad-based government.

It would have given Mr Kombe a walkover in the by-election, as Kenga was seen as the main challenger.

On Friday, Mr Gachagua announced that his DCP had bagged Mr Kenga as its nominee for Magarini after he was denied a chance by UDA.

“Our aspirants have been bribed or frustrated. In Magarini, we now have Mr Stanley Kenga as our candidate,” Gachagua declared.

Until a week ago, Gachagua had Mr Furaha Chengo Ngumbao, alias Kalama Wehu, as his nominee for Magarini, but he dramatically quit citing frustrations.

Kenga, who formerly served as Adu MCA in Magarini Constituency, is seen as Mr Kombe’s fiercest challenger because he came a close second in the 2022 election.

In the 2022 polls, Mr Kenga garnered 11,925 votes against Mr Kombe’s 11,946—a difference of 21 votes.

Mr Kombe is set to fight for Magarini in a second by-election after the nullification of his election by the courts.

He survived the first by-election during the reign of President Mwai Kibaki after his election was nullified by the court.

But with Kenga back in the race, Kombe will likely not have an easy ride back to Parliament. The by-election is likely to be a rematch of the 2022 political battle between the two politicians, and Kenga’s win would most likely bolster Mr Gachagua’s standing in Coast region politics after he exited President Ruto’s camp.

Kombe’s candidature was negotiated by officials of his ODM party, the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), and Senate Speaker Amason Kingi’s Pamoja African Alliance (PAA) to save the grouping from possible divisions ahead of the 2027 polls.

PAA Secretary General and Ganze MP, Mr Kenneth Tungule, last week confirmed that they had withdrawn their nominee, Mr Michael Thoya Kingi—the Senate Speaker’s brother—who was one of Mr Kombe’s main rivals.

Mr Thoya was Magarini MP before he was dislodged by Mr Kombe in the 2022 polls.

Tungule also confirmed that UDA had withdrawn Mr Kenga, who successfully caused the nullification of Mr Kombe’s election by the Supreme Court, occasioning the by-election.

“The broad-based government has only Mr Kombe as its candidate. PAA will not field any candidate in the by-election,” he stated.

Some politicians within the broad-based government who did not support the negotiated outcome claimed democracy was under threat, as parties should have been allowed to field candidates without interference.

Last month, UDA Secretary General Mr Hassan Omar pushed for the nomination of Mr Kenga, saying the by-election would be a friendly match for UDA, ODM, and PAA, which are domiciled in the broad-based government.

Mr Kingi had also indicated that PAA would field a candidate in Magarini, but sources said his position and that of Mr Omar were overruled last week following intense negotiations to safeguard the partnership under the broad-based government.

PAA Deputy Party Leader Mr Hassan Albeity indicated that broad-based parties have been in negotiations over the by-elections but reserved details.

Under the current political arrangement between President Ruto and Raila’s sides, ODM will field candidates in Magarini, Ugunja, and Kasipul parliamentary seats, while Malava, Banisa, Mbeere North, and Baringo Senate have been reserved for UDA.

Thoya, who is Mr Kingi’s younger brother, has been listed for a job at the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC).