Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago is going flat out for the Senate seat as he struggles to complete projects he initiated as county boss.
Resistance to his Senate bid by a group of UDA leaders has forced Mandago to put in place campaign machinery he hopes will enable him to win in the UDA primaries.
Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi and other allies of DP William Ruto have been pushing Mandago to drop his bid for the Senate because he has served as governor in the same county.
They also say privately that he is stingy in giving to the party, he is noncooperative and acts like a lone ranger.
Mandago has dismissed criticism and demands and says his aim is the Senate. His county executives are among those actively campaigning for Mandago to become a senator.
“I urge you to vote for Mandago so that he becomes senator of this county and we should also stand with DP Ruto in his presidential bid," environment executive Mary Njogu said. She addressed Kikuyu community representatives.
Mandago also got a boost when businessman Bundotich Kiprop Buzeki came out in his defence, saying the county boss has the right to vie for any seat at the end of his two terms.
Addressing Kikuyu elders, Buzeki said no one has the right to interfere with Mandago's democratic right to seek election or any other position.
“Those telling him not to vie must know the law is clear and nowhere does it stop Mandago from running for the Senate just because he has been governor. We must all respect the law for an equal society, Buzeki said.
Sudi recently paraded two Senate aspirants — former Kass FM presenter Robert Kemei and Oliver Kipchumba Karori — who hope to face off with Mandago in the primaries.
“Sudi has even claimed I am from Turkana but that doesn't bother me because Turkanas are also human beings and Kenyans," Mandago said.
At a function in Kesses constituency, Sudi paraded Kemei and Karori saying Mandago should give new faces chance to run for the Senate.
A group of youth leaders on Tuesday supported Mandago's Senate goal, saying he had performed well as governor and will do even better as senator for the same county.
“We have no problem with Mandago and we will campaign for him because we know he is a performer who will properly oversight the county as senator," group spokesman Joseph Chumba said.
The race to succeed Mandago in Uasin Gishu has intensified and some leading aspirants have stepped up campaigns for the UDA ticket
The UDA ticket has so far attracted six top contenders led by politician Jonathan Bii who is considered a front runner.
Also in the race are Kenya’s envoy to Pakistan Prof Julius Bitok, and his counterpart for China Sarah Serem, MCA for Ngenyilel David Sing’oei, and Nairobi county devolution executive Vesca Kangogo and Soy MP Caleb Kositany.
(Edited by V. Graham)
