David Rotuk, Director General, Competition Authority of Kenya
Competition Authority of Kenya director general David Rotuk has joined the race for the Uasin Gishu governor's seat.
This has set up a contest with incumbent Governor Jonathan Bii ahead of the general election
With less than 10 months to party primaries, Bii is facing a growing list of challengers seeking to unseat him. However, the governor remains confident of securing a second term, citing his development record.
His rivals argue the county needs fresh leadership,
accusing his administration of poor service delivery and stalled development
projects.
Rotuk, an accountant and economist with more than 30
years' experience in the public and private sectors, said his priority would be
improving healthcare.
“I want to focus on key areas like healthcare, which I
believe can perform much better for the people of Uasin Gishu,” he said while
confirming his bid.
His campaign team says his experience in management and
public administration equips him to transform the county.
Rotuk criticised the state of healthcare, saying
hospitals are poorly managed, lack adequate medical equipment and supplies and
have a demoralised workforce.
He also faulted the county government for abandoning
projects initiated during the first decade of devolution, describing it as a
waste of public resources.
“We have a huge wage bill, including payments to ghost
workers, rampant corruption, and too few resources allocated to development,”
his campaign brief states.
He further cited inadequate access to clean water and
slow development of Eldoret City as key challenges that require urgent
attention.
Although Rotuk is yet to launch active campaigns because of his official duties, his team has begun grassroots mobilisation ahead of what is expected to be a competitive race.
Other likely contenders
include Tourism PS Julius Bitok and businessman Bundotich Buzeki.
Governor Bii has dismissed his opponents, urging them
not to waste their resources campaigning against him.
“They should use their money wisely instead of engaging in an impossible mission to campaign against me. As of now, this county is locked until I complete my two terms in office,” he said.
The governor maintained his administration's performance will be enough
to convince residents to re-elect him for a second and final term.
Instant analysis
The entry of Competition Authority of Kenya director general David Rotuk adds a new dynamic to the Uasin Gishu gubernatorial race, signalling an increasingly competitive contest ahead of next year's general election. His campaign is expected to focus on governance, healthcare, accountability and service delivery—issues that have dominated public debate in the county. However, Governor Jonathan Bii remains confident, banking on his development record and incumbency advantage. With other high-profile figures, including Tourism PS Julius Bitok and businessman Bundotich Buzeki, also linked to the race, Uasin Gishu is shaping up to be one of Kenya's most closely watched political battlegrounds.
