- The race to unseat Samboja has attracted two female aspirants. They are media personality Patience Nyange and former don Agnes Mwang’ombe.
- Gender, political party and tribal realignments are some of other key factors that are likely to shape the county leadership.
Image: SOLOMON MUINGI
The gender factor is turning out to be the vote magnet in Taita Taveta county gubernatorial contest as aspirants pick running mates.
Many male aspirants have picked a woman for deputy. At least six women have joined the race as deputies.
The incumbent, Granton Samboja, picked former Voi mayor Priscilla Mwangeka, while former governor John Mruttu settled for former county executive Janet Oben.
Others who settled for a woman as deputy are George Mwandembo who picked former Knut assistant secretary general Rosalia Mkanjala and Faustine Mghendi who has picked Immah Nduku.
Mwatate legislator Andrew Mwandime unveiled Christine Kilalo as his running mate, while ODM’s Thomas Mwakwida settled on Hope Mwanyuma.
The race to unseat Samboja has attracted two female aspirants. They are media personality Patience Nyange and former don Agnes Mwang’ombe.
Mwangombe settled on Patrick Mwanyumba as her deputy. Nyange has, however, kept her running mate under wraps, leaving her competitors guessing.
“I will publicly announce my running mate before the week ends. What I can reveal for now is that am choosing a man as deputy,” Nyange told the Star on phone.
So far, only former senator Dan Mwazo has settled on a man as deputy. The former Voi legislator has settled 0n Joseph Mwikamba, a teacher.
The choices for the second in command at the helm of the devolved unit is likely to turn tables as the clock ticks towards the August general election.
“So many factors will inform voters in making their choice at the ballot. One of them is the gender factor that has played in the choice of running mate,” political analyst Christopher Musyoka said.
He noted that many aspirants are capitalising on the vote-rich Voi and Mwatate constituencies.
“Nearly all the running mates are from Voi and Mwatate. The regional balance factor will also help in shaping the race since both Wundanyi and Taveta have produced a governor,” Musyoka said.
He said candidates must put into consideration all local political dynamics in a bid to capture a pie of the about 155,716 registered voters in 354 polling stations.
Mruttu is from Taveta, while Samboja is from Wundanyi.
He said a male-male candidature may face an uphill task in the race compared to a male-female combination.
Women have been given deputy governor slots for two terms now. Mary Ndigha deputised Mruttu between 2013- 2017, while Majala Mlaghui is the outgoing deputy governor.
Image: SOLOMON MUINGI
Political party and tribal realignments are some of the other key factors that are likely to shape the county leadership.
Taita Taveta has a population of at least 340,671 according to the 2019 population census.
The county is dominated by the Taita, Taveta and Kamba communities that control election outcomes.
Other communities are Sagalla, Kasigau, Pare, Maasai, Luo, Kikuyu, Somali among others.
(Edited by Tabnacha O)