Musikari Kombo has to quit Ford-K Chair

BY  LUKE  KAPCHANGA    DN/BUNGOMA      30/4/2008      FORD-K

Ford-Kenya chairman and nominated MP Mr. Musikari Kombo is under siege, to quit the post.

But if shoving   comes to pushing, the former minister for local government is likely going to put up a fight.

Mr. Kombo who by last year believed was carrying the destiny of the Luyia community and by extension the Ford-Kenya supporters country wide on his back , could be heading to oblivion as calls for his removal grows louder by the day.

Yet he is not without defence, as those who still have confidence in his leadership are pointing an accusing finger at one of the cabinet ministers from western province for being behind the quit calls.

Ford-Kenya officials from Trans/Nzoia have openly supported their chairman, whom they say had managed party affairs with a lot of humility.

Even at his backyard of Webuye, councilors allied to the party, are optimistic that Kombo still  holds the destiny of the Luyia.

Cllr. Eric Soita dismissed those who want changes in the party as sellouts and detractors who are after personal benefits from enemies of the party.

Bumula MP and assistant minister Wakoli Bifwoli has cautioned those agitating for KOmbos removal, to expect a tough fight which they will loose with disgrace.

He reminded the party supporters ,of former minister Dr. Mukhisa Kituyi who fell from grace after undermining Kombos leadership of the party, adding that those making quit calls will not be spared.

The political troubles of Mr. Kombo began immediately he lost the Webuye seat to his perennial rival , Alfred Wekesa Sambu of ODM in the last general elections.

He had held the seat since 1992, when the multiparty democracy was introduced by defeating the first area MP  Joash Wamangoli, and has been winning subsequent elections with comfortable majority against Sambu.

The former Kanduyi MP Mr. Wafula Wamunyinyi was the first to come out openly calling  for Kombos removal as party chairman, citing the party’s poor showing in the last general elections.

He complained that the party has been shrinking and even in Bungoma it only has majority support in Kimilili and Bumula constituencies.

Mr. Wamunyinyi stated that “the world over, party leaders always gracefully steps aside when they perform dismally for the new blood to take over and steer supporters to new heights’.

Surprisingly, Wamunyinyi was Mr. Kombos closest supporters and even went on record warning those aspiring to contest against him in Webuye constituency of dire consequences.

The chairman, he used to tell meetings was to go unopposed , to prepare him for the presidency in 2012.

Mr. Kombo, has been a survivor as getting the PNU nomination was a shocker to his detractors but was greeted with relieve among his supporters who see a lifeline for their chairman.

Last weekend a top Ford-Kenya officials revealed in Bungoma that by fronting Mrs. Mary Wasike as the party’s choice  for nominations, some key members were indeed scheming to shutout Kombo from the limelight.

The choice of Mrs. Wasike , who has since been  appointed the PS in the ministry of  Labor  was mischievous and whose motive was for the party destruction not wellbeing.

According to the official who is well versed with party affairs, this annoyed MPS, Eugene Wamalwa of Saboti and Dr. John Eseli Simiyu of Kimilili who came to the defence of Kombo to get the nomination slot.

This  however infuriated some party supporters in Trans-Nzoia and Bungoma who felt that , the slot should have been left to the woman.

After kicking of the quit calls at a  press conference in Bungoma town, the former MP who is also the Bungoma party branch chairman has on several occasions been convening meetings with party officials and councilors.

The strategy according to the people who have been attending such  meetings at various hotels and Mabanga FTC,  was  mainly to lay  grounds  for    discreding Kombos performance  and his lack of vision for the party .

This seem to work as several branches country have picked up the cue and are demanding to see Kombos back.

The most vocal was from Nyanza and North rift, the areas which both have the historical  backing of the party and enjoys support.

Five branches of Trans Nzioa, West Pokot, Marakwet, Pokot North and Mt. Elgon issued a statement in Kitale saying,” its time for the party to think of its future if it has to remain relevant in future”.

Their disappointment and frustrations comes from what they complain was dismal performance in last years polls, so it requires revitalization and re-organization.

But the calls have been dismissed by  Kombos supporters as the work of a senior minister from Western and the only minister who comes from the province and could have the interest in the party leadership  in none other than foreign affairs minister Moses Wetangula.

Though , Wetangula has never publicly declared interest in the post of chairman, close confidants of his support the assertion that he is also angling to go for presidency in 2012.

During his campaigns last year he used to hint to his supporters that in the event Kombo was reluctant to contest the presidency, then he will step in.

And if the foreign minister is the position himself for the Kibaki succession race , the only option in the coalition politics the country is witnessing is through F-K

Mr. Wetangula some time in March,while attending a funeral at burial at Lwandanyi   in his Sirisa constituency allegedly blamed Kombo for the partys poor showing in the polls.

The minister who was accompanied with a group councilors from his Sirisia constituency described Kombo as “ a political spent force”.

When Mr. Allan Chenane , one of his close confidants was asked about Wetangulas position on the calls for Kombos removal , he maintained that the party was stable.

“The minister has  confidence in Kombos leadership and those making allegations about schemes to have changes in the party want to create tension and unnecessary divisions’, Mr. Chenane said.

Mr. Kombos troubles may have started with the death of Bukusu elder Joseph Khaoya, whose burial was marked with changed political fortune favoring ODM leader Raila Odinga.

Mr. Odinga then prime minister designate was received with pomp and song, as dance and singing filled the air while attending the burial in Wamunyinyis former constituency.

Saboti MP, Eugene Wamalwa stole the show by cautioning party leaders present to read the signs and unite theLuyia community or risk being eclipsed by the young generation of MPs.

“Young MPs from this community are watching carefully actions by our leaders and we want to move as one people  to have our voice heard”, he told mourners.

He added that should leaders not heed them, and keep the community divided politically, then come 2012, they will be booted out.

He received standing ovation at the funeral, and charging from the silence which followed his address, pundits opined that Kombos position was in trouble.

Then Party supporters on the grassroots started discussing openly about having changes at the party helm, and went further by proposing the younger Wamalwa to takeover the party leadership.

When asked if he has the ambition of heading the party, he replied” the peoples power is supreme and being privileged to serve them need to be appreciated at all levels”, Wamalwa remarked.

As the party lawyer , however he did not come out clearly if he wants to push the chairman out, insisting that the party constitution has to be defended at all costs.

According to him, the party will have elections in 2010, when it will be prudent for those calling for Kombos removal put in their man or woman of choice.

Yet another option to hold elections can be through resolution passed by the National delegates council(NDC), when  demanded by members.

With the growing calls to have Kombo quit is one signal for the NDC, to be convened  by none other than Kombo himself who is vested with the powers and have his fate discussed .

The party supporters are of the  assumption that given his resilience and behavior, the younger Wamalwa could replicate the  late  Vice –Preisdent Kijana Wamalwa, who was his elder brother to  steer the party  to greater heights.

Mr. Hilton Otenyo a regular commentator on Luyia politicis from Kakamega agrees that, “it is Wamalwa who can revamp the party to regain its foothold in TransNzoia and Bungoma”.

Mr. Otenyo observed that as of now, nobody can talk of Luyias being in F-K, with change of leadership making in roads to western province could be possible.

Replacing Kombo , may not be easy, as talk is gaining ground about possible merger with the New Ford-Kenya.

New Ford-Kenya a splinter group led by minister Soita Shitanda , who walked out on Kombo after a failed coup is also chaired by former minister Mukhisa Kituyi.

Dr. Kituyi who has kept a low profile since losing his Kimilili seat to a new comer, was a thorny in Kombos leadership , after losing the party chairmanship in 2003.

If the merger comes out to be true, then possible candidates list to replace Kombo as chairman will be very long and cause more fallouts after the party polls, if they were to be held.

Mr. Kombos undoing  was his over confident during elections of being appointed the VP, after the polls was PNU to win fairly.

The Ford-K chairman is said to have spent very little time in the constituency and changed or disregarded advice from his closest aides.

He therefore opted not to campaign nor had no  time campaigning in his constituency , using any available to chance todrum up support for Kibaki.

His handling of the party affairs annoyed even his close friends, but underestimated them due to his closeness to the president.

Those close to him claim that he kept to himself campaigns funds both during the referendum and last years elections.  

During all his tenure as a senior minister, Kombo is accused of locking out people from Webuye to getting  any senior government appointments.

Most of the projects he promised on the ground none has taken off, to benefit the people.

The notable one , the banana tissue culture project is cited were he is said to have instructed his close friends to buy seedlings from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology by refusing free seedlings given by KARI.

 He is also accused of failing to appoint his party officials both at the local and regional level to any