[Sam Ongeri (left) with ODM leader Raila Odinga. Ongeri has dismissed Charles Nyachae’s calls that he quit politics. Photo/nation.co.ke]
A war of words between immediate former Kenyan UN Habitat Ambassador Sam Ongeri and lawyer Charles Nyachae has resurfaced, decade after Nyachae’s father, Simon Nyachae, quit politics.
Nyachae, formally Chairperson for Constitutional Implementation Commission, on Tuesday ridiculed Ongeri’s advanced age and challenged him to quit politics.
“Ongeri joined politics with my father many years ago. He has played his role and I think time has come for him to give us space. He is almost of the same age as my father,” he said.
But Ongeri dismissed the influence of age in leadership and urged Nyachae, a first time politician to engage him on issue based matters.
“I prefer engaging people with concrete issues. Politics should be issue based and not age. My people want me to go to the senate and help come with legislations that can help counties grow,” Ongeri said in response to Nyachae’s quest.
The two families have been having a complicated political relationship that even saw Ongeri lose his Nyaribari Masaba parliamentary seat to Hezron Manduku, who ran on Ford People ticket, a party associated with Nyachae family by then.
On Monday, Ongeri cut his relationship with President Uhuru Kenyatta and subsequently joined Raila Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement.
The two will battle for Kisii County senatorial seat in August which has also attracted former South Mugirango MP Omingo Magara.