Who will be Samboja running mate 2022? – Weekly Citizen

Taita-Taveta governor Granton Samboja has left his supporters guessing as to whether he will retain his deputy governor Majala Mlagui as running mate in next year’s general elections. Already the governor is
laying strategies on how to be re-elected. The two were elected on Wiper party and analysts say for Samboja to win back the seat, he may be forced to sacrifice Majala and get a forceful running mate. Others say the deputy governor is planning to quit politics and that is why she has been missing in action.

Granton Samboja

Another school of thought claims Majala is eyeing Mwatate parliamentary seat whose MP is Andrew Mwadime. It is not known if Majala has the blessings of Samboja to take on Mwadime. Mwadime on ODM in 2017 general elections comfortably won the seat after defeating Moris Mbondenyi of Jubilee. In Voi, Jones Mlolwa on ODM defeated Dishon Mngoda of Jubilee while Naomi Shaban won Taveta seat on Jubilee ticket. The three Mlolwa, Mwandime and Shabaan retained their seats with a newcomer Danson Mwashako winning Wundanyi seat on Wiper ticket replacing Thomas Mwadegha who opted for governorship slot but was defeated by Samboja. Mwashako defeated Jubilee party candidate Simon Mwachia. Talk is rife Samboja is in talks with former county woman representative Joyce Wanjala Lay to be running mate.

Majala Mlagui

When ODM leader Raila Odinga was in Taita Taveta tour hosted by the governor, Lay was present throughout and was even given the opportunity to address the rallies. Outside Lay, Samboja is said to have set eyes on powerful women, Esther Mwanyumba or Pricilla Mwangeka. As things are, as he faces 2022 elections, to win the women vote, Samboja will pick a woman as running mate unless something happens along the way. Lay of late is close to the governor raising eyebrows. She was initially among politicians supporting deputy president Willian Ruto’s presidency but has of late deserted the camp. Samboja has no time for the deputy president.

Joyce Wanjala Lay

Lay in December last year attended Ruto meeting in Taita Taveta that brought on board Shaban, Mlowa, women representative Lydiah Haika and former governor John Mruttu. Ruto is grooming Mruttu to take on Samboja come next elections. That Majala is not comfortable with Samboja was manifested when out of the blues she claimed of being locked out of her offices in Mwatate town. Her offices are housed in one building with that of the governor. During restructuring of his government, Majala was left with less powers after they were transferred to other executive members. Majala, a mining expert by profession, lost powerful public service and administration member docket.

Esther Mwanyumba

To complicate matters was Samboja orders that CECs stop reporting to Majala. Before the orders, Majala was in charge of coordination of all county government development programmes and held the duties of monitoring and evaluating. Sources say, Majala at one time was sympathetic to MCAs camp that was fighting Samboja. Her plot was to sneak in power as governor if MCAs impeached Samboja.Samboja moved fast and started collecting signature from voters to recall the MCAs. When the required signatures were collected with a petition to Uhuru Kenyatta to dissolve the county, MCAs retreated back after discovering the governor had fixed them. Dozens are lobbying to be Samboja’s running mate.