About ten candidates have joined the growing list of people eying the Baringo county assembly speaker seat.
This is amid intense lobbying as communities push for a regional balance in the share of the top county jobs.
The seat was occupied by William Kamket from the Pokot community. He won the Tiaty MP seat through KANU.
Kamket beat the three-term MP Asman Kamama of People's Development Reforms party.
However, Pokot MCAs from the seven wards traversing the community want their candidate to take over the seat.
Rebecca Lomong, who worked in the county public service board, and Peter Ngeleyo Lotulya have already expressed interest.
"We wish to retain the post for inclusiveness, unity and harmony in the county," Siale MCA Nelson Lotela told the Star on Sunday.
Other aspirants are advocates Hillary Songoyo, Vincent Kemboi and Joseph Tarus.
Arap Namba, Solomon Chemjor, Emily Kiptui, David Kiplagat and Baringo South MP loser Charles Kamuren are some of the contenders.
"We are a minority group and we wish Kamuren would be granted the assembly speaker job," Festus Kipchumba, resident of Marigat, said.
The list of speaker aspirants is expected to increase as more leaders weigh the options of vying.
The posts of deputy speaker, majority, minority leader, the chief and deputy whip will be up for grabs after MCAs are sworn-in.
For regional balance the consideration is that Governor Stanley Kiptis hails from Eldama-Ravine while the DG Jacob Chepkwony comes from Baringo Central.
Senator-elect Gideon Moi also hails from Baringo Central while the woman representative Gladwel Cheruiyot is from Baringo North.
Former speaker Kamket was elected in 2013 after receiving backing of 22 members out of the 30 MCAs who participated.
In Bungoma, several lawyers are also jostling to take up the post which fell vacant after the last assembly was dissolved.
Those who have declared interest are lawyers Andrew Kituyi, Emmanuel Situma, Henry Makhakara and Antonina Muyoka.
Muyoka vied for the Bungoma county woman seat but failed.
The lot wants to take over from the outgoing speaker John Makali who unsuccessfully vied for the Kanduyi MP seat.
The ODM candidate was beaten by Wafula Wamunyinyi, who is the county's Ford Kenya party chairman.
Ford Kenya has 18 elected MCAs while Jubilee Party has 10 hence the former might back a candidate leaning towards the party.
Kituyi, the current West Kenya LSK chair says he will bring his experience spanning 15 years as he rallies for the seat.
"I have what it takes to lead the county assembly so that we pass laws that will help our people," he told journalists on Sunday.
The lawyer said will look into the welfare of the MCAs once he becomes the speaker.
"I will ensure there is equitable distribution of resources in all the 45 wards and ensure the bills that are legislated are well implemented."
Kituyi is the one who defended Saleh Wanjala who is famed as "Bungoma’s James Bond" in court for free.
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"I have offered pro bono services to many people through my firm," he said.
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