By Phil Wesonga
Mama Ogla Karani, the ODM National Deputy Treasurer and NEC Member has been appointed alongside retired Justice Tom Mbaluto as CORD’s nominees to the IEBC selection panel. Karani, pictured with her daughter when they paid a courtesy call on the Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga, ranks as among some of the strongest and fiercely loyal ODM supporters in the Rift Valley.
The interesting thing about Karani’s appointment is that it has beem vigorously opposed at behind-the-scenes by URP wing of JAP led by DP William Ruto and Elgeyo Market Senator one Onesmus Kipchumba Murkomen.
Murkomen who was recently chased like a dog by his own constituents fears Karani’s rise spells doom for his political career. Murkomen has been burning midnight oil plotting on how to stop Karani’s appointment including sending emissaries to ODM party leader to nominate someone else onstensibly in order to win DP Ruto’s support in the disbandment of IEBC and subsequent recuitment and appointment of new commissioners.
The DP is deeply concerned that Karani’s rise to national political platform, just like for Isaac Ruto and Gideon Moi, seriously reduces his influences on the populous community especially because the Keiyo and Sengwer sub-tribes of Elgeyo Marakwet County where Karani hails from feel they have been sytematically marginalized by the DP as a co-principal in the ruling coalition.
But perhaps more importantly, Raila’s appointment proves he harbours no bad blood against Kalenjin. The DP fears that Karani’s appointment only adds fuel the simmering rebellion against his tyranny that is evident in all Kalenjin counties of Baringo, Uasin Gishu, Bomet and Elgeyo Marakwet – all of which were named as the most tribalistic counties by NCIC in a damning report released last week.
When news hit the streets of Eldoret and Iten that Olga Karani had been nominated by ODM, many Kalenjins celebrated so much so that the DP immediately ordered that a Kalenjin lady Mary Karen Kigen-Sorobit also from Keiyo be nominated by URP-JAP as a response to countering and probably watering down Karani’s appointment by Raila.
It is instructive to note, whilst Raila a Luo has appointed Karani who is neither of the same gender or tribe, DP Ruto only apponted Ms. Kigen who is of the same ethnicity as himself because of the Karani appointment. It completely flies in the face of JAP faked mantra of national unity and inclusivity. Up to 75% of URP public appointments are Kalenjin.
Last month during the much hyped launch of JAP, DP Ruto sent numerous emissaries to Ogla Karani to accept a position in their new political outfit, an invitation that was promptly rejected.
Rumours were flying in Nairobi this morning that the DP was frantically looking for the lioness of Elgeyo Marakwet Ogla Karani to make truce with her and negotiate a working relationship.
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