Constitution: Kalenjins in leadership crisis

There is a serious leadership crisis among the most powerful ethnic group in the Rift Valley. The Kalenjins are now divided into smaller ethnic subgroups because their leaders took different stands in the just concluded referendum. As the country welcomes the new Constitution in happiness and unity, the Kalenjins are torn apart and not quite sure whether to be joyful or sad about the latest development in the country.

A very large number of them, in fact well over one million people, were mobilized by their leaders to reject the Proposed Constitution. Now the very same leaders are making a lot of noise to be included in the Constitution Implementation Oversight Committee (CIOC); and to have some Kalenjins in the Commission on the Implementation of the Constitution (CIC). The Commission will be made up of experts who will really be doing the donkey’s work in drafting the new legislation to be enacted by Parliament to enable a smooth operationalization of the new constitution.

The decision to have some Kalenjins included in CIC will be that of the President and the Prime Minister following the advice of the strong team of technocrats who have so far given the two principals very wise counsel that has tended to unite, rather than divide, the country. If there will be any Kalenjin in the CIC it will depend entirely on the credentials of the individual concerned. The community has many distinguished lawyers who obviously qualify to be members of the CIC. What Kibaki and Raila will be looking for are experts that will expedite the process of drafting the required legislation instead of rocking the boat to please certain political leaders.

Whether or not there will be a Kalenjin in the CIOC will depend on the powerful political parties in Parliament – the ODM and PNU. So far there is a threat to exclude the Kalenjins who opposed the Proposed Constitution, which means the Kalenjins who will sit in the CIOC will come from the group that supported the Proposed Constitution which includes Sally Kosgei, Helen Sambili and Franklin Bett.

These are the three leaders who tried to unite the Kalenjins to back the Proposed Constitution like the rest of the country. They are also likely to end up holding top leadership positions either as Senators or Governors of the new counties that have been formed in the Rift Valley. The political tug-of-war in the former Rift Valley will now change with time, giving the supporters of the new Constitution prominent positions in the new set up.

It should not be hard for the million Kalenjins to determine who among their leaders is telling them the truth this time. It so happens that since independence they have been grouped together and made to take joint political decisions based entirely on the pronouncement of individuals with their own political ambition and greed in mind. First they were made to join the Kenya African Democratic Union by Daniel Toroitich arap Moi log before independence. When independence was achieved they had a powerful Rift Valley region which they had to dismantle when Moi decided to join the Kenya African National Union under Jomo Kenyatta.

Moi, as the undisputed leader of the Kalenjins since 1957 when he first represented them in the Legislative Council which was commonly known as Legco , has made his people follow him blindly even when he was making wrong political decisions. In 2002 when he stepped down as the Head of State he led his entire community to back Uhuru Kenyatta, who was his handpicked contestant, as the presidential candidate for the Kenya African National Union. Though Uhuru managed to get well over 1.8 million votes, Mwai Kibaki of the National Rainbow Coalition was elected President with more than 3.6 million votes. Kalenjins were on the wrong side of history because of Moi.

Be that as it may, there is probably no single Kalenjin leader who has done more for his people than Daniel arap Moi who built many schools and roads in the Kalenjin Rift Valley as opposed to the Pokot, Masai, Samburu or Turkana Rift Valley. Using his powers as the President of Kenya, Moi made sure at least three national Universities – Moi University, Egerton University and Kabarak University-- were established in the Kalenjin Rift Valley. This elevated his people to a level where they can today scholastically challenge other ethnic groups such as the Kikuyus and Luos who have been exposed to education for a longer period.

Despite such a big contribution by Daniel arap Moi to the welfare of the Kalenjin community, they decided to ignore him in 2007 elections when he advised them to vote for Mwai Kibaki of PNU instead of Raila Odinga of Orange Democratic Party (ODM). At that time the Kalenjins followed the leadership of a young vibrant politician, William Ruto, who literally pulled the whole community away from Moi into the ODM where he strongly backed Raila Odinga. Unfortunately the Raila- Ruto relationship did not last long and the Kalenjin community was massively pulled out of ODM’s stand to support “YES” group in the just ended referendum into the “NO” team led by William Ruto.

When the “NO” team was badly defeated the Kalenjins found themselves in the wrong side of history yet again. This time they have very serious problem to overcome. To begin with Daniel arap Moi had made the Kalenjin erroneously believe the entire Rift Valley belonged to them. This belief was unfortunately enforced by the stand taken by William Ruto as the new leader of the Kalenjins during the referendum campaign.

The implementation of the new Constitution has opened the Kalenjin’s eyes to the truth which reveals that the Rift Valley belongs to other communities as much as it belongs to them. The new Constitution divides the massive Rift Valley into 14 counties, out of which only seven could be considered to belong to the Kalenjins.

Besides that, the dominant Kalenjin sub tribes of Nandi and Kipsigis find themselves in two different counties while other Kalenjin sub tribes of Elgeyos and the Marakwets are now in yet another county. Pokots, who were normally grouped together with the Kalenjins, are now in their own county. In other words the new Constitution has divided the Kalenjins in smaller counties in which the sub tribes will have to determine their own destinies in a new set up.

Obviously the new arrangement annoys Daniel arap Moi who sees the fruits of his entire political career going down the drain. The new setup will also see the Kalenjins seeking new leaders from their own sub tribes who will end up either in the Senate or as Governors of the seven major Kalenjin counties. In the County of Trans Nzoia, for example, there is likely to be a very tough fight between the only Kalenjin leader of the area, Joshua Kituny, and the two local Luhya leaders Eugene Wamalwa and Noah Wekesa. Between these three one may remain as a member of the less prestigious National Assembly while the other two occupy the Senate and governorship positions respectively.

Eugene Wamalwa, who has declared some interest in the presidency of the country, may change is mind after discovering the race is for bigger giants and end up seeking a seat in the Senate. Between Wekesa and Kituny the fight for governorship would see the Kalenjin losing to the majority Luhyas of the county which overwhelmingly supported the Proposed Constitution.

In Uasin Gishu where William Ruto is most popular the fight for governorship will probably be between the MP for Eldoret South, Peris Chepchumba and the MP for Eldoret East, Margaret Kamar. Ruto, who will be fighting for the Presidency may sponsor a younger candidates for the Senate seat. In the Elgeyo-Marakwet County the fight for the Senate seat will be between several giants.

These will probably be the MP for Marakwet West, Boaz Kaino, the MP for Marakwet East, Linah Jebi Kilimo, the MP for Keiyo South, Jackson Kiptanui and the MP for Keiyo North, Lucas Chepkitony. In that race may be the revitalized Nicholas Biwott is likely to show up again and try his luck in the new contest. The seat for the Governorship of the Uasin Gishu county will be contested between the many professionals from the area who are likely to leave Nairobi to go back home in the rich rural area to seek new leadership positions .

May be the hottest contest for the Senate will be fought in Nandi County where the MP for Emgwen, Elijah Langat is likely to be challenged by the MP for Aldai, Sally Kosgei , who is likely to be joined in the race by the MP for Mosop, David Koech and the MP for Tinderet, Henry Kosgey. The county’s Governorship is likely to see a bitter struggle between the candidates named above who may decide to leave the hotly contested Senate seat. But the new top job of the County is also likely to attract new faces of top Nandi businessmen, academicians, civil servants and professionals who are sure to join the bitter struggle.

In Baringo the Senate seat, like that of the new Governor is bound to attract the MP for Baringo Central, Sammy Mwaita, the MP for Baringo North, William Kipkiror , the MP for Baringo East , Asman Kamama, MP for Mogotio, Helen Sambili and the MP for Eldama Ravine , Mosses Lesonet. This scenario is likely to be repeated in the Kericho County where the MP for Kipkalion, Kiprono Magerer, the MP for Ainamoi, Benjamin Langat, MP for Buret, Franklin Bett and the MP for Belgut, Charles Keter, will battle it out for the two seats.

In the Bomet County the scenario is likely to be repeated when the MP for Chepalungu, Isaac Ruto is likely to fight the MP for Bomet, Beatrice Kones, MP for Konoin, Julius Kones and MP for Sotik Joyce Laboso for the same two seats.

Given the fact that the above developments are inevitable, the Kalenjins are about to start bitter confrontations for Senate representation and for the governorships of the seven counties. A healthy competition of developing the new counties is likely to come up with new leaderships associated with economic development rather than political ambitions of individual politicians. Whatever the case may be the Kalenjin today are about to undergo a major leadership change to join the rest of the country in accepting the new Constitution for Kenya.