Days after declaring his 2022 presidential bid ,the Council of Governors chairman Wycliffe Oparanya move seems to be reshaping the landscape in Western Kenya.
The Kakamega governor is quietly assembling his campaign machine for a stab at the presidency against seasoned big guns.
Oparanya has already established a full-fledged presidential secretariat in Nairobi’s upmarket Kilimani Estate and hired researchers and political advisers three and a half years to the polls.
Sources close to his team said the former minister and second-term governor has also acquired a chopper, joining the privileged sky team club. The size of his financial war chest is not publicly known, but an MP from the county said the reclusive governor has suddenly become “philanthropic”.
Two weeks ago, Oparanya hosted 12 of the county’s elected leaders and two of its nominated leaders for a two-day retreat at the Windsor Golf and Country Club in Kiambu county.
At the end of the retreat, he managed to lobby many of those present to buy into his presidential bid.
Deputy President William Ruto is said to be courting Oparanya as a potential running mate and his critics say the DP has a hand in the governor’s renewed political activities and higher profile.
Oparanya yesterday rubbished any links to the DP, saying he is his own man. His profile has been growing, leading to his overwhelming election as CoG boss.
The county chief is also the founding chairman of the Lake Region Economic Bloc, which brings together 14 counties from Western Kenya.R
The obvious casualties of Oparanya’s political moves are his ODM party boss Raila Odinga, ANC leader and regional kingpin Musalia Mudavadi and Ford Kenya’s Moses Wetang’ula.
Raila has successfully controlled the region’s vote basket, essentially making it his stronghold in three consecutive polls. For 15 years, he has enjoyed the loyalty of Oparanya and other Western leaders.
Oparanya, a former Planning minister, and his Mombasa counterpart Hassan Joho are among the few leaders who have stuck with Raila since his botched 2007 presidential bid. They were rewarded with deputy party leadership positions, making them Raila’s de-facto seconds in command. Both now have their eyes trained on the top job.
Musalia, who is vouching for the elusive Luhya unity, is likely to be dealt a blow even as he courts the Mount Kenya region in his bid to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Read: Back me for top seat, Oparanya urges Raila
Musalia and Wetang’ula had initially agreed to collapse their parties and form a formidable, single political vehicle to fly the Mulembe nation’s flag. Their unity bid has fizzled, however, given the competing political interests and Ruto’s interest in the region.
A 2016 opinion poll commissioned by Cotu secretary general Francis Atwoli placed Oparanya as the second-most popular Luhya leader after Musalia Mudavadi
The county chief yesterday confirmed to the Star that he would be on the ballot. He said he would soon initiate talks with his party boss about his 2022 presidential ambitions.
“I’m the ODM deputy party leader. Now that I’m going for the ODM ticket, a discussion will be crucial,” he said. Oparanya’s ambition faces a litmus test should Raila declare his interest in the presidency — a fifth stab. He could have no choice but to follow in the footsteps of Mudavadi, who decamped from the Orange party in 2012 and ran for President on a UDF ticket. UDF and Kanu formed the Amani coalition that came third after Jubilee and Cord.
ODM ready for Primaries
Yesterday, ODM secretary general Edwin Sifuna welcomed Oparanya’s interest in the presidential ticket, saying the party espouses internal democracy.
“We’re a democratic party. Anybody who wants to run for president is free to seek the party ticket when the right time comes. ODM has a robust mechanism to pick its presidential candidate,” he said.
Sifuna sought to allay fears that its top brass could block Oparanya’s bid for the ticket. He maintained that the party had a history of holding primaries in the presidential ticket race.
“This is not the first time people are expressing their intention to get the ODM party ticket. That has happened before,” he said.
Surprisingly, a number of MPs who spoke to the Star said they would back Oparanya in his race to State House.
Navakholo MP Emmanuel Wangwe of Jubilee Party said Oparanya is “ripe and competent to be President”.
“We shall give Oparanya maximum support in 2022. He is fit and has the necessary experience and track record,” he said.
Wangwe said the second-term governor should now focus on building alliances outside his Western Kenya backyard to enhance his political bargaining power.
“What Oparanya should do is sit at the negotiating table. Bring together other leaders from the region as well … If Oparanya does not make it to State House, he should lead Western Kenya into the next government.”
Oparanya is seen as one of the pioneer governors with remarkable development records. He has built a multi-billion-shilling referral hospital, upgraded Bukhungu Stadium, constructed modern markets in all the 12 sub counties and built at least 14 bridges, including the famous Khaunga Bridge, the longest in the Western region.
Read: Oparanya in crowd trouble over his 2022 bid
Nominated MP Geoffrey Osotsi also vouched for Oparanya, describing him as a firm and focussed politician who cannot be easily swayed.
“Western Kenya needs a consistent leader with a good track record. It needs a kingpin who can deliver. That leader is none other than Oparanya,” the outspoken lawmaker said yesterday.
Capturing the vast changing political landscape in the Mulembe nation, Osotsi (an ANC legislator) said Oparanya is emerging as a serious kingpin for the region.
“Most politicians from the region and across the political divide are comfortable with Oparanya,” he said. “One thing I must say is that Oparanya is not about to ditch ODM. He is still a firm and loyal supporter of Raila. Those claiming Oparanya has headed for Ruto have panicked and we will expose them.”
Those opposed to Oparanya’s bid say he cannot win. Notable among them is former Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale, who dismissed the bid as a non-starter.
“There is a difference between having the capacity to run for the presidency and actually having the capacity to win the presidency. Oparanya, like many other presidential contenders from the region, may have the capacity to run for the presidency, but I don’t think he has the capacity to win the presidency,” he said.
There has been no love lost between Oparanya and Khalwale. The two competed in the governor race in the last election, Oparanya emerging the victor.
Khalwale has since been flirting with Ruto. He said the community must design a different game plan to form the next government.
“That’s why some of us have decided to lead the community into a formula that will form the next government,” he said, drumming up support for the Deputy President.
More presidential hopefuls could emerge in the lead-up to the 2022 contest. Against this background, however, is the talk of constitutional amendments. A change in the structure of the executive could alter the game plans of many aspirants. Some have adopted a wait-and-see strategy.