Lusaka's new role puts him at a battlefront

In the high-stakes theatre of Western Kenya politics, where loyalty is often as fluid as the Nzoia River, Bungoma governor Kenneth Lusaka is turning out to be the quintessential survivor.

From the “Wheelbarrow” scandal of his first term to his return in 2022, Lusaka has mastered the art of political comeback.

However, his latest appointment has placed him in the crosshairs of a brewing storm. President William Ruto’s decision to pick him as his western region campaign coordinator ahead of the 2027 polls has not just ruffled feathers; it has ignited a localized political war in Bungoma that threatens to ground the governor before he can take flight on the national stage.

For a man nearing the end of his final term, the appointment should have been a crowning achievement. Instead, it has become a lightning rod for criticism, exposing a deep rift between the governor and his erstwhile allies, most notably Bungoma senator and Senate majority whip, David Wafula Wakoli.

The pressure on Lusaka intensified last week during a high-drama session before the Senate County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC).

While the Governor expected to discuss current development, he was instead confronted by a bizarre ghost from the 2019 audit: the Sh3.68 million Christmas tree.

The committee, led by Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang’, raised red flags over the expenditure, noting that the tree was reportedly “lit” in September 2019, three months before the festive season.

“Using Sh3.6 million for Christmas tree lighting in September? It remains unaccounted for,” Kajwang’ remarked, questioning if Bungoma was operating on a different calendar.

Lusaka, visibly agitated, fought back pointing out the obvious chronological flaw in the accusation: In September 2019, he was not the governor, he was the Speaker of the Senate. The expenditure fell squarely under the tenure of his predecessor, Wycliffe Wangamati.

While Lusaka was technically cleared of this specific scandal, the damage to his public image was significant. To Lusaka, the resurrection of this “ancient” audit query was no accident. He pointed a finger directly at Senator Wakoli and a circle of “Ford-Kenya handlers,” accusing them of orchestrating a political witch-hunt to embarrass him just as he assumes his new regional role.

The “Tortoise on the Table”

The animosity between Lusaka and Wakoli is more than just a clash of personalities; it is a battle for the soul of Bungoma’s political hierarchy. Lusaka previously used a cryptic, albeit stinging, metaphor to describe the senator’s sudden aggressiveness.

“When you see a tortoise standing on the table, then trust me it didn’t climb there by itself. Someone put it there,” Lusaka quipped at a public function. “Can the handler who put this tortoise on the table come and help it climb down!”

In the coded language of Mulembe politics, the “handler” is widely believed to be National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula.

Wakoli, who served as Wetang’ula’s long-term Personal Assistant before succeeding him as Senator, is viewed by Lusaka’s camp as a proxy for the Speaker.

The theory among political analysts is that the President’s decision to bypass “established” leaders like Wetang’ula or Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi to hand the re-election mantle to Lusaka has caused a seismic shift in the pecking order.

Eric Nakhurenya, a Bungoma-based lawyer and Senate aspirant, suggests that the appointment has “rattled the established order.”

“By the President putting this heavy mantle on Lusaka, he has shown his trust in him to deliver the Luhya vote. This act has likely caused jitters among those who believe they should be the sole gatekeepers of the region,” says Nakhurenya.

The cold war turned hot last weekend at the burial of the late Donald Namasaka Siamba, a respected don at Kibabii University. In the village of Maeni, Kimilili Constituency, the gloves finally came off.

As Lusaka sat alongside Wetang’ula and other dignitaries, Senator Wakoli launched a “raw offensive” from the podium. He accused the governor of total failure in his second term, citing siphoned funds and stalled projects in education and infrastructure.

“I will not relent in reminding you that your administration is a failure!” Wakoli shouted over the murmurs of the crowd. “There are a lot of incomplete projects that have siphoned billions meant for Bungoma people. My work isn’t to keep quiet but to hold you to account.”

The scene nearly descended into a brawl when pro-Lusaka youths attempted to storm the stage to silence the senator. Wakoli, however, refused to budge, finishing his speech amidst the pandemonium.

When Lusaka finally rose to speak, his voice was heavy with frustration. He characterised the attacks as pure “jealousy” over his new role.

“Some of them felt they should have been appointed instead, and now they are coming out to attack me unnecessarily,” he told the mourners. “Why should we be fighting each other so brazenly?” Lusaka was quick to dismiss the claims as another desperate attempt to justify Wakoli’s “oversight” role to his masters.

“He is touching on anything to try to justify to his handlers that he is reliable for use,” Lusaka responded. “Where has he been with his purported oversight role in the last three and a half years?”

As Kenneth Lusaka prepares to transition from the governor’s mansion to the national campaign trail for President Ruto, the path ahead is fraught with landmines.