Who is who in rush for Trans-Nzoia governor’s job 2022 – Weekly Citizen

The one million dollar question that has kept on boggling the minds of Trans Nzoia residents is whether or not Governor Patrick Khaemba was in 2013 elected as a person, or because of his allegiance to the Ford-Kenya FK party.
Could Khaemba have been voted in as a Bukusu so as to retain the political grip on the local majority community as a way of controlling power and resources as has been the other tribes elsewhere in the country?
Or still, could Khaemba have floored the other seasoned politicians like Noah Wekesa and Kakai Bisau with a big margin because of his development record? But what project had he initiated in the area prior to him joining politics that could warrant the ticket to the governorship?

Noah Wekesa

And what if both Wekesa and Bisau had resolved their differences to back one of them in FK where they had been before the former moved to ODM, and the latter to NFK respectively, to take on Khaemba who was seen as a newcomer in the politics of the county apart from having served as a permanent secretary PS in a personal capacity?
What finances did Khaemba have to influence the voting pattern to his side? If anything, the embattled governor had not saved half of what Wekesa had set aside for the electioneering. But here was a man, who had been defrocked from the government and worked briefly at the World Bank, then came home to walk to victory against a millionaire.

Kakai Bisau

Save for the constitution that bars Khaemba to vie for the third time, would the same Trans-Nzoia people vote for him in 2022? Could there be yet another surprise in waiting?
Perhaps Khaemba did not face the right opponents or the 2013 and 2017 polls were just sheer good luck for Khaemba who with his slogan of Kazi Kwa Mpango has turned into a nightmare for the thousands of people who had placed their hopes on a man they believed would deliver them from the vast bondage of abject poverty.
What most of the registered 230,000 voters are now wondering is whether the same practice is going to be repeated in 2022 as they seek a replacement for Khaemba and go in the annals of history to erase the belief and myth that it is only through political and tribal patronage that a governor could be elected in Trans Nzoia.
As the 2022 draws near, stakes of political parties, finances, tribal alliances and empty pledges are currently rearing their ugly heads again with the most two qualities of development record and personality not being considered.
Already, a list of carrot of the most likely contenders has floated and a mere perusal at it shows as to who is who matters in the society as much as tribe, political and financial might is concerned.
Memories of the non-performance and let-down of the outgoing Khaemba are quickly erasing out with the tendency of the “our own” manifesting to the grassroots. Suffice to ask which way for the nearly one million population of Trans Nzoia county in 2022 with the following possible candidates on card for the county’s gubernatorial race: –

Eugine Wamalwa

Eugene Wamalwa: The Devolution CS is yet to decide whether or not to remain with the national government or roll down to the county but should he contest, he enjoys the support of majority communities and age bracket.
Though the CS is faced with the challenge of the choice of a political party after surrendering his New Ford Kenya NFK to the divided Jubilee, Wamalwa will have first to conform to the outcome of BBI before making any major move.
He will also have to explain why he has preferred Trans Nzoia people to those in Bungoma in terms of offering employment. His admirers include Cherangany MP Joshua Kuttuny, Endebess politician Alwin Lisa, local supplier Bernard Masanja, county assemby pro Fred Wanyonyi whom he may back for the senate seat and a woman activist Dorcas Njenga being regarded as the possible running mate of the Devolution CS or the choice for the woman rep.
Born in 1969 and married to Lucy Musundi, the CS remains the official spokesperson of the Wamalwa family and the larger Baengele clan of the Bukusu subtribe traversing Trans Nzoia and Bungoma counties. He is calculative like his late brother, Wamalwa Kijana.
That is why the populous Bukuksu community and Luhya rely on him on national cake bargain politics of building alliances.

Kuttuny

He is sober in arguments, rarely gets annoyed when pushed to the wall only smiling and as a shrewd political gambler, hides his final card to cast it at the right time. It is said a section involved in Uhuru Kenyatta succession has a soft spot on Eugene and that is why he hold the powerful devolution docket.
Chris Wamalwa: The holder of the doctorate in strategic management could have an easy ride if Eugene does not contest for having moved across the county from church harambees to donations to funerals.
His undoing, however, is insults against his opponents and behaving as having already won the seat. If he plays his game well he could carry away the FK nominations. He is being advised to listen and respect elders.
Aged 45 and married to Florence Nyambere with three children Bill, Arnold and Victoria, and as a staunch Catholic and the chairman of the parliamentary catholic MPs, the Kiminini MP has established a rapport with the Kitale Catholic Bishop Maurice Crowley who has no qualms with him becoming the second Trans Nzoia governor after Khaemba.
The Saboti Jubilee MCA David Kaboloman, a Sabaot who had been famed as his running mate before the BBI report recommending for a woman candidate, he could turn out to be his chief campaign manager.
Currently, the FK lawmaker declared twice as the best debate with motions cushioning farmers against uncompetitive production costs is being rated as the front runner. He knows how to move masses and strike when the iron is still hot to scare potential political foes. He is a generous man.
Kakai Bisau: This will be his third stab and any small mistake might spell his finality to doom. It will be interesting to see how he will fair on without the backing of Eugene party he enjoyed in 2013 and 2017 after moving to DP William Ruto’s office where he is facing resistance from another candidate Abraham Sing’oei.
He has chosen to work with Bodaboda and women groups which are trooping from Khaemba’s camp to come and enhance his image soiled by his heart of not handing over an olive hand to his aggressors.
He is an adviser to DP Ruto but his challenge would be his running mate. He displays a bright future and exudes confidence. He resides in the once posh and exclusive Kitale’s Milimani Estate, just a stone’s-throw neighbour of Eugene.
He is surrounded by wrong faces and believes he has won the race by the fact of working in DP Ruto office. Those in DP office claim Kakai rarely interacts with Ruto and spends most of the time reading newspapers at Harambee Annex.
Kakai is said to be mark timing at the Annex office as major deals are cut at DP official residence in Karen and a private office in Upperhill. In fact Kakai has to receive handouts from powerful Ruto aide Farouk Kibett. His salary at Ruto’s office is Sh120,000 per month. Word has it that DP allies want him to step down for Senator Mike Mbito, promising a plum job in Ruto government if the DP wins 2022.
Senator Mike Mbito: The youthful vet is shifting to the plum job after dillydallying with Bisau in 2013 as his running mate and the easy ride in 2017 to the Senate on the Jubilee ticket against the influential Henry Ole Ndiema and Kipruto Kirwa.

Kipruto Kirwa

Equally financial sound, and a philanthropist, the man could turn tables as was the case in 2017 when he vied for the senate. Perhaps, the only improvement is his public appearance and the command of both his native Sabaot dialect and Kiswahili language. He seems also allied to DP Ruto’s brigade in the county.
In his late 40s, the Senator should shield against the fast-riding Khaemba’s CCO for the department of Water John Meng’wa who is looked at as an alternate for the Sabaot community in mitigating the leadership power of the county.
But should both Wamalwas and Bisau make it a reality to the polling box, the trend and wave could smile towards his side. Having secured a permanent residence at Kitale in Saboti, he can only extend on his long-distance transport business to add to his finances. He should not rely on his Saboat community but reach out to other communities in the county.
Ben Wanjala: The professor of pasture development is leading a group of elders in identifying the suitor to Khaemba.
Having worked as Khaemba’s CFO, Wanjala is sending out the message of Trans Nzoia being a unique county that should be governed by committed professionals. He could fight within the FK primaries and he seems to have set himself well financially. Aged 58, and married to Benedict Wafula, the professor with property in Kitale and Kiminini towns is championing inclusivity and harmonising of all the local communities including the Asians who control the economy of the county.