Ajabu Africa News

PHOTO:

Susan Kihika, formerly of California (center) campaigning for Nakuru Senator under the Jubilee Party. PIC BY COURTESY

By:

HARRISON MAINA

Posted:

Aug,08-2017 07:19:46

(Updated, Tuesday August 8, 8.19am)

BOSTON__In a bid to keep Kenyans in the Diaspora measure their impact in the Kenyan elections even after being denied a chance to participate in the voting process, Ajabu Media will keep track the performance of several Diaspora based candidates from the USA who have returned home to contest in various positions.

During the last 2013 General elections, Kenyans in the Diaspora were highly engaged in the election campaigns with the empty promises by many visiting politicians that they will participate in the voting process to be conducted at the Kenyan embassy in Washington D.C as well as the two Consulates in New York and Los Angeles.

The stakes went several notches higher with the advent of an infamous political network dubbed the Kenya Diaspora Advisory Council that was promptly launched by the former US Ambassador to Washington D.C, Elkanah Odembo as soon as he was appointed to head the embassy in the new coalition government formed in order to end the infamous post election violence that rocked Kenya in the 2007 elections.

However the highly anticipated Diaspora voting fell flat when the IEBC ruled that Kenyan living outside of the African continent would not be allowed to vote, hence limiting to the Diaspora voting to Kenyans in Uganda, South Africa, Nigeria and a few other African countries.

Hopes for a 2017 Diaspora voting we also thwarted for the same reasons, with the IEBC citing concerns of unpreparedness due to "logistical difficulties" that would make it difficult to ensure a free and fair Diaspora voting.

In the run up the 2013 elections, an infamous political network dubbed the Kenya Diaspora Advisory Council was promptly launched by the former US Ambassador to Washington D.C, Elkanah Odembo, ostensibly to unite Kenyans and serve as a bridge between the government and its nationals in the USA.

Unfortunately, the council faced stiff opposition and rejection as many Kenyans across the US soured on the outfit as it appeared to take over and thwart previously ongoing efforts by existing community associations to promote unity and civic engagement independently without interference from the government.

Many Kenyans also complained that the Diaspora Council appeared interested in hosting politicians primarily from one political party for networking and self promotion in order to curry favor and capture seats in the new anticipated administration.

Shocked by the resistance and backlash many of it's leaders received from Kenyan nationals in various communities across the US, and the lack of recognition and support from H.E Njeru Githae, the new incoming Kenyan ambassador who succeeded Odembo( ODM) under Jubilee Party, the Diaspora Council pretty much folded operations, going totally mute mute in the run up to the 2017 elections.

However, despite the disappointments, several Kenyans who have lived and worked in the Diapsora have retuned back home to throw their hats in the ring hoping to unseat incumbents at various positions in order to bring much needed chance to their constituencies.

Among the candidates from USA we are closely following include Presidential candidate,Japhet Kavinga Kaluyu from Newark, New Jersey,Festus Kasyoka Mbuva from Boston Massachusetts, (MP Mbooni), Martin Owino, Boston Massachusetts (MP, Ndhiwa), Susan Kihika, Sacramento, CA (Senator, Nakuru) and Simon Kirubi, Boston Massachusetts,(MCA, Karura).

Ajabu Media will be following tracking the impact of the Diaspora Candidates we are currently aware of in order to view the impact of their messages for change.

However, we are aware that there are more Diaspora candidates on the ballot box that we may not be aware of.

We are therefore requesting our readers to help us identify them by texting their names, pictures, city in the Diaspora they lived in before relocating back and the current position they are running for as well as any campaign flyers.

Text/WhatsApp your info to: 781-953-2490

Thiru Karanja from Lowell, MA, running for Kabete MP as an Independent candidate, PIC BY COURTESY

Presidential candidate, Japhet Kavinga Kaluyu from Newark, New Jersey running as an independent candidate. PIC BY COURTESY

Martin Owino, formerly of Framingham near Boston, Massachusetts under the NASA Party

Festus Mbuva from Lowell near Boston, Massachusetts running as an independent candidate.

Campaign poster for Susan Kihika, formerly of California and now candidate for Senator, Nakuru town. courtesy, Facebook

Simon Kirubi from Lowell near Boston, Massachusetts campaigns for the MCA seat in Karura, Nairobi under the New Democrats Party affiliated to Jubilee.

To inform us of more diaspora candidates,

Text/WhatsApp to: 781-953-2490
Email: Info@AjabuMedia.com

Source:

AJABU AFRICAN NEWS