Kiprono Kittony name crops up in Trans Nzoia politics – Weekly Citizen

Realignments have gripped Trans-Nzoia county as it emerged that the outgoing Kenya National Chambers of Commerce and Industry Kiprono Kittony is set to enter the county political arena.
In 2003 general election, Kitonny took on Kipruto arap Kirwa for Cherangany constituency where he lost.
More than 15 years later, he is said to be descending to politics at the same time when Kirwa who has been in the cold since 2007 has announced a return to the political platform after a long spell in the cold.
If Kiprono decides to join politics, then the county political topography will change immensely. Kirwa is the latest catch in William Ruto’s Tangatanga faction.

Kiprono Kittony is the outgoing National Chairman of KNCCI.

ncidentally, Kirwa is the oldest of the politicians in the DP’s camp. Kiprono is under pressure to run for the seat following pleas from residents to break the jinx of the leadership in Cherangany rotating among Kirwa, his predecessor Wisley Korir and the incumbent MP Joshua Kuttuny who toppled Kirwa in 2007 before himself being vanquished by Korir in 2013 whom he dethr0ned in 2017.
His allies say that, for now, he is yet to decide between Cherangany constituency and the Trans-Nzoia governor’s seat. However, his associates are urging him to try his hand at the senator’s seat held by Jubilee’s Mike Mbito.
It is argued that Mbito is ill-suited for the senatorial seat which he inherited from Henry Ole Ndiema and that Kiprono is better placed to play the oversight role of Trans-Nzoia economic affairs.

Kirwa

But Kiprono’s other supporters want their man to keep off politics altogether and pursue a post with the government where he could be considered for a cabinet post, to add to two the number of CSs, apart from the Devolution CS Eugene Wamalwa.
Kiprono’s supporters were also rooting for him to become a government economic adviser and strategist after revitalising KNCC&I, linking county governments with the chamber and assisting the government, entrepreneurs and businessmen click business deals with international markets.

Devolution Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa in a past event.

Kiprono is likely to align himself with Kanu led by Baringo senator Gideon Moi. But even as Kiprono was being fronted for the Cherangany seat, a section of residents tired of the Kirwa- Korir-Kuttuny merry-go-round want a revival of the Masinde Muliro legacy which they claim was rubbed off by Kirwa who succeeded the late Muliro in a by-election in 1988.
After waiting in vain for Muliro’s elder son Mukasa Mwambu to declare for the seat, a former CID detective and the current chief of staff for the Trans-Nzoia county government Patrick Simiyu allied to Ford Kenya FK party is being impressed upon to enter the race.
Simiyu who in the 2017 polls emerged second with 19,000 votes behind Korir’s 20,000 votes and Kuttuny with 25,000 votes said he is ready to carry Muliro’s mantle, adding that he was the first Luhya to bag more than 8,000 votes in any general election since Muliro died more than three decades ago. In 2013, he emerged third behind Kuttuny and eventual winner Korir

Cherangany MP Joshua Kuttuny

He was the chief campaigner for Patrick Khaemba in 2013 and 2017.
This, however, does not go down well with a Jubilee activist John Njuguna who said Cherangany people are fed up with the power struggle among the trio of Kirwa, Korir and Kuttuny and the same time, asked Kiprono to aspire for a national position.
A Nairobi lawyer Ben Milimo is also reported to be interested in the seat on a FK ticket.
The Kalenjin vote is split among the top three aspirants and could play out to their disadvantage unless Kirwa decides to pull out from the constituency for a different seat. As anxiety piles for the governor’s seat with Kiprono’s possible vying, those gravitating for the coveted and plum job welcomed the move describing it as democratic.
For David Kaboloman being fronted as the running mate of Kiminini FK MP Chris Wamalwa, the Saboti Jubilee MCA downplayed it saying the ex-KNCCI president is free to join the fray while the 2017 runnerup Kakai Bisau doubted Kiprono’s sincerity.

Kakai Bisau

Abraham Sing’oei, the DP’s legal adviser is also going for the county top job. Bisau who also works in the DP’s office, has said this time round he is not going to repeat the mistakes he made in the last two polls he lost to Khaemba.
Bisau unlike his rivals knows all the corners of the county and has of late resorted to holding secret meetings.
The governor’s race may be headed for an arduous campaign as each of the two local top parties- Jubilee and FK struggle to put their houses in order and position their candidates. One big riddle for the residents is whether or not CS Wamalwa’s name will be on the ballot paper.
But one thing is clear: the two Wamalwas will have a bruising fight if they meet at the ballot. The duo, however, will first have to clear hurdles the CS with Eugene having to shake hand with Ruto and the Kiminini legislator mending fences with FK party leader Moses Wetangula over his intention to oppose Tongaren MP Simiyu Eseli as FK’s secretary general in the forthcoming party’s polls.
It is not clear who between Bisau and Sing’oei the DP will pick but the two will have to sweat more to stop the two Wamalwas. Secondary school principal Bethwell Kirior, however, dismissed the chances of a Nandi winning the governor’s seat against the populous Bukusus and said he is willing to be appointed the deputy governor by any winning team.

Trans Nzoia Women Rep Janet Nangabo

The women rep Janet Nangabo is another politician eyeing the governor’s office but she has yet to come out forcefully to push for her agenda while Governor Khaemba has not proposed his heir although his deputy Stanley Tarus, finance CEC Boniface Wanyonyi and former CFO Ben Wanjala have indicated signs of succeeding him. Also for the governor’s seat is Paul Moiben who has shifted from Endebess constituency.

Trans Nzoia Senator Michael Mbito

Senator Mbito may not be defending his seat and could likely shift either to the governor’s race or Saboti constituency held by ODM’s Caleb Amisi but fresh competition of clans within the Sabaot community may haunt the senator with the Sebei sub-clan being accused
of muzzling most seats in the county, thus the need to put Water CEC John Meng’wa on the standby as the deputy governor.
Amisi will count himself lucky if FK’s Joseph Pepela and William Nangulu pull from different sides but will have to watch out for Rodgers Bokose while Cosmas Nabongolo and MCA David Kisaka fight to succeed MP Wamalwa in Kiminini.
For Kwanza constituency, Moses Lupao and minority leader Emmanuel Waswa have their heads high over incumbent Ferdinand Wanyonyi while in Endebess we have Robert Simiyu and Alwin Sasia alias Lisa out to strangle out MP Robert Pukose.
The women rep seat and 25 wards are up for grabs.