Speaker Moses Wetangula, PCS Wycliffe Musalia Mudavadi, Speaker Amason Jaffer Kingi, and the Sultan of Mombasa Ali Hassan Joho are men in a mission.
The four horsemen are President William Ruto’s mercenaries in a bid for Tutam.
1. Moses Wetangula
Those who have interacted with the National Assembly Speaker describe him as ruthless to the core. Since joining parliament as a KANU nominated MP in 1992, Wetangula has cut a larger-than-life image as a seasoned debater, passionate and very eloquent.
Prior to his nomination, the daredevil young lawyer had represented the 1982 Kenya Airforce coup plotters in an explosive court martial. The system took note and decided to use him in high-profile cases.
When Dr Ouko was murdered in 1990 by agents of the then Moi system, Wetangula was hired to represent the widow, Christabel Ouko.
Lawyers play dual roles. They offer legal services, counsel their clients, and align them to state pendulums in matters of interest. It is believed that Wetangula was paid a tidy sum by state agents to defend this case and many other briefs.
His breakthrough, however, arrived after the death of Vice President Kijana Wamalwa in August 2004. By then he had abandoned KANU for Ford Kenya. He executed a coup in the party, kicked out Musikari Kombo, and installed himself as the King of the Ababukusu.
During the 2013 and 2017 elections, Wetangula auctioned the 500,000 Bukusu votes to Raila Odinga. He later fell out with Raila after being sacked as Senate Minority Leader and replaced with James Orengo. Wetangula promised a noisy divorce with Raila, which he executed by signing a pact with UDA and President Ruto.
It is Wetangula who gave Ruto the swing vote that defeated Raila, Uhuru Kenyatta, and Eugene Wamalwa.
Wetangula boasts of old money. As early as 1985, he drove a brand-new red Citroen, dropping his brother Timothy Wanyonyi, now Westlands MP, to Nairobi School.
Looking ahead to 2027, Wetangula will face off with Eugene Wamalwa and Governor George Natembeya for the Bukusu vote. The Bukusu vote is independent of other Abaluhya and votes as a solid block.
Wetangula has been accused of demeaning the stature of the Speaker of the National Assembly for attending empowerment engagements alongside DP Kithure Kindiki, Kimani Ichungw’a, among others.
In the meantime, Bungoma and Trans Nzoia, his cradle, is boiling nicely against Wetangula two years to the election. Signs of violence are imminent as each of the protagonists has political goons.
Assuming Raila Odinga works with Ruto, Wetangula has a fresh stick to deal with his opponents. Worst case scenario: Wetangula failing to win his Senate seat and the Bukusu vote going to the opposition. Best case scenario: splitting the Bukusu vote in the middle.
Already, Tim Wanyonyi has declared he will contest the Bungoma seat. Tim is a grassroots mobilizer and is a popular figure in Western Kenya.
He belongs to the ODM party. If he contests, he will help UDA to penetrate the volatile county.
