Key staff in Bungoma County Assembly to contest political seats

 

With less than 13 months to the next General Elections, a section of members of cabinet, chief officers and directors serving in Bungoma Governor Wycliffe Wangamati's administration have showed interest in running for political seats in next year’s polls.

The developing scenario is causing jitters within Wangamati's inner circle that comprises CECs and chief officers over their loyalty to the embattled first term governor. 

Some have openly declared their interests, while others seem to be waiting for the right time to throw their hats in the ring.

Among those who have declared their political interests is director of special programmes Carol Buyela who is eyeing the Webuye East parliamentary seat, which is currently occupied by Alfred Sambu of Amani National Congress. The 83-year-old Sambu, the oldest lawmaker from western region, is serving his third term. 

Water, tourism and natural resources cabinet executive secretary Renson Makheti and Agriculture chief officer John Wasike have expressed their interest in unseating Webuye West MP Dan Wanyama. 

Wanyama, a second term Jubilee Party lawmaker, is among the 40 MPs who were last week listed as not having university degrees, as required by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) in order to contest for any seat in next year’s polls. 

Agriculture CEC, Mathews Makanda, and Health chief officer, Patrick Wandili, have shown interest in Kimilili parliamentary seat, which is currently occupied by Didmus Barasa. 

Barasa, a first term Jubilee lawmaker, is no longer in Governor Wangamati’s good books. He has been openly drumming up support for Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka to run against Wangamati, whom he has often accused of failing the electorates by not living up to his campaign promises and initiating minimal development projects across the county.

Roads CEC Collins Mukhongo is also said to be strategising on how to unseat Kanduyi MP Wafula Wamunyinyi. 

It's said that Mukhongo is banking on the massive development agenda that Wangamati’s administration has done in the constituency. 

Unseating Bungoma Woman Rep

The county is constructing a 6.5km dual carriage way from Musikoma to Kanduyi which will approximately cost Sh1.4 billion. 

The county is also putting up a modern stadium in Kanduyi with a seating capacity of 5,000.

Mukhongo also hopes to ride on the 30-bed capacity maternity wing at Bungoma County Referral Hospital that is being built by the Ministry of Health at a cost of Sh250 million. 

The county's ministry of roads has also built several roads in Bungoma with funds from the World Bank that has changed the face of the town. 

Deputy county secretary Isaack Mukenya is said to be in the race for Matulo ward seat that is currently occupied by Jubilee's second term MCA Paul Wanyonyi. 

Wangamati's adviser on matters of youth and boda-boda riders Nancy Kibaba has similarly declared interest in unseating Bungoma Woman Rep Catherine Wambilianga. 

Kibaba contested for the seat in 2017 but lost to Wambilianga during Ford Kenya party nominations forcing her support Wambilianga. 

Director of transport and logistics, Simiyu Mutaki, intends to give a second stub at Chwele ward seat that is currently being held by Barasa Mukhongo, a close ally of Senator Moses Wetangu’la. 

Economic advisor, Martin Wafula, is eyeing Maraka ward seat that is being held by Bungoma ODM chairman Ali Machani. 

These are just but a few of Wangamati's staff who have shown interests in various political seats but are still waiting for the right time to publicly declare their candidature.

Reelection campaign

Political analysts have pointed out that the unfolding scenario could work against Governor Wangamati.

Heightened political activity in the county comes in the backdrop of the release of the 2022 election calendar by IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati.

IEBC requires all prospective candidates to resign from their current positions by February next year.

“In the event that these employees in Wangamati’s administration resign, then the governor will be compelled to hire new employees to fill those positions,” said Webuye based political analyst, Alex Bikokwa.

Thereafter the governor would have to table the names of his appointees to the County Assembly in whose bad books he is currently in.

This would also prove difficult since campaigns would have kicked off by then.

Isack Wanjekeche, also a political analyst, said such a move could deal a heavy blow on Wangamati who will be depending on his staff to campaign for his own reelection.

“I would equate this scenario to the Biblical Tower of Babel where the Holy Spirit brought confusion among the workers who were putting up the tower making them to speak in different languages hence crippling their overly ambitious project,” Wanjekeche said.

“Wangamati risks having a situation in which members of staff with political ambition jeopardising his campaign by going out and seeking their own votes at the governor’s expense,” the political analyst added.

On the other hand, Wanjekeche said prospective candidates will have to contend with making tough decisions on which political parties to run on, bearing in mind that Wangamati and Wetang’ula have since had a bitter fallout.    BY DAILY NATION