ELBOWED-BETRAYED-YET-RELENTLESS: Will Ken Nyale emerge as a Virtuoso of grievance politics?
Kenyan history is replete with examples of political betrayal.
Some prominent cases speak to the fragility of our union as a nation — but they also just offer a bit of hope that, as it has in the past, Kenya will persevere.
Critical lens reveal a popular truism that both several politicians in Kenya pursued their ideals by simple recognition that for some ideas to work better, then one has to flip the switch on their own supporters.
In Kilifi County, a story of a young man from Chonyi is a rallying cry for those disillusioned by politics of betrayal.
Towards 2017, Ken Nyale dedicated his campaign time mobilising Kilifi grassroots community for him to be elected the Senator for Kilifi County.
It was little wonder that he emerged a distant second with a Jubilee Ticket at the ballot sweeping hope of representing Kilifi County People at the Senate.
In this race, Rtd Justice Stewart Madzayo led and got re-elected. Charles Chigiri of Wiper Party became a distant third, followed by Lucas Maitha of KADU Asili.
This did not scuttle his resolve with reasonable chance raging on until 2022.
Strangely enough, his renaissance really got going.
As Kilifi people were bandying on his next move, one thing became true at once: his brunched decision to lower his ambition from Kilifi County Senator to Kilifi South MP was to be blindsided by betrayal- It’s all part of Kilifi Politics!
One of the more puzzling aspects was his sudden shift of his party line: from UDA to PAA!
The ephemera of gossip reveals that the leadership of the PAA Party hunted and finally harvested him.
To reckon with Kilifi’s dynamic politics, his move portended a lasting mark on his political fortunes.
Chaduchinews has extensively established that this move disrupted his existing political relationships and network systems.
His most important relationship was that of the then Deputy President and now President William Samoei Ruto.
For those in UDA, it was quite striking watching Ken Nyale joining a stealthy den (hoping to be a balm zone) that is too toxic, dynamic, complex, complicated, and multifaceted politically.
The real instict of the story manifests Ken Nyale’s long-arc in Kilifi Politics that failed to but big.
It’s a story that animated a furore from his supporters.
The last NAIL!
The PAA Party Nominations was the onset of Ken Nyale’s pandemic in 2022 parliamentary elections!
PAA’s successful attempt to ebb Ken Nyale the nomination for Kilifi South ticket disorganised his candidature, painfully ending an election episode with bitter lessons.
He totally lost control over the tight 2022 race dominated by the Seating MP, Ken Chonga!
How did it end? He lost!
Honestly, at this point, it makes only so much sense to scan through the pre-election actions of the PAA Party that favoured former Kenyan Ambasador to Zambia, Amb. Sophie Kombe.
Was Sophie the best choice with muscles and capabilities to unseat Ken Chonga? The answer is NO.
Beneath the veneer of Ken Nyale story is open betrayal that wounded his political soul.
He became a pawn in a grand game!
In the aftermath of 2022, Ken Nyale, once the golden boy of Kilifi politics, found himself isolated, disgraced, and thorned!
The betrayal was complete.
Now left with a challenge to be a virtuoso at playing the politics of grievance – where loyalty is naïve and to be a leader you have to show your willingness to trample over anyone who gets in your way.
Will he succeed? Let’s wait and see!
About The Author
