• The 12 will be seeking to take over from Gathoni Wamuchomba, who will be seeking to dislodge Kago wa Lydia from the Githunguri parliamentary seat.
• Kim and Wamuratha are expected to battle it out for the UDA ticket.
Image: John Kamau
Image: John Kamau
Image: John Kamau
The Kiambu Woman Representative seat now has 12 women rolling up their sleeves to battle at the ballot in the August 9 polls.
The 12 will be seeking to take over from Gathoni Wamuchomba, who will be seeking to dislodge Kago wa Lydia as Githunguri MP.
Notable women who have declared their interest include celebrated Kikuyu gospel musician Loise Kim. She was recently welcomed to UDA by Deputy President William Ruto.
Kim, who dropped out of a similar race in the 2017 general election, will face former radio presenter and marriage and relationships counsellor Anne Wamuratha, who also joined UDA last week.
The two, who have been accompanying the DP on his campaign tours in the region, are expected to battle it out for the UDA ticket.
Kim will be banking on her fame as a celebrated musician as well as her community work in which she has been helping women, youth and the people with disabilities.
“I have been with the people of Kiambu assisting our women, youth and the PWDs with the little resources I have. But I believe that we will be able to reach out to many people and do great things once my Kiambu people elevate me to a leadership position,” Kim said recently.
Wamuratha will be riding on her distinguished endeavour of counselling couples as well as championing the rights of the boys, especially in the Mt Kenya region.
However, the two are expected to face stiff competition from psychologist Gladys Chania, who is expected to stage a spirited fight for the seat under Azimio La Umoja.
The race is likely to narrow down between UDA and Azimio la Umoja.
Chania, during a recent meeting in Thika, exuded confidence that she will floor her opponents. She had vied for the same seat in 2017 but she lost to Wamuchomba.
After losing the election, Chania went back to her activism against alcohol and substance abuse as well as community work.
“I started my community programmes which include aiding the elderly, mentoring women, youth and the disabled as well as fighting alcohol and drug abuse. I’m seeking more power to fight the social ills that bedevil our community and I'm confident that I will be the next Kiambu county MP,” she said.
Others eyeing the seat are nominated MCAs Serah Kamunyi, Grace Wanjiku, Njeri Bakari, Pauline Agondoa, Juliet Wainaina and Mercy Nungari.
Bakari will vie on the Chama Cha Kazi ticket, the party associated with Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria.
Political pundits in the region maintain that Kuria, who is a crowd-puller is likely to win more votes for Bakari once he returns home from Dubai where he has been receiving specialised treatment after sustaining burns while warming his leg with an electric blanket.
Other aspirants are lawyer Alice Gathekia, Emma Wangari alias Mama Mwiko and Mary Kirika, who vied for the seat in the 2013 election but lost to President Uhuru Kenyatta’s relative Anna Nyokabi.
The window for other aspirants to throw their hats in the ring is still open and the race might take a twist and get even hotter ahead of the polls.
Edited by A.N