- The narrative that Oparanya could be silently endorsing Barasa escalated after he was bequeathed the responsibility of mobilising for the Western Azimio rally
- Khalwale confirmed that a section of leaders from the north and central have held meetings with elders on how to ensure the seat moves from the south.
Image: HILTON OTENYO
Politicians from the central and northern parts of Kakamega are plotting a coalition to stop Governor Wycliffe Oparanya from “succeeding himself”.
Aspirants from the two regions seeking to succeed Oparanya have been holding meetings to strategise on how to defeat his preferred candidate in the August polls.
Although Oparanya has been making public declarations that he will back his deputy, Philip Kutima, he is also said to be the one behind the candidature of Kenya Electricity Transmission Company MD Fernandez Barasa, being fronted by his wife Priscilla.
The narrative that Oparanya could be silently endorsing Barasa escalated after he was bequeathed the responsibility of mobilising for the Western Azimio rally in Kakamega on December 31, leading to grumbling by ODM MPs who felt sidelined.
Kakamega county is divided into southern region comprising Mumias East, Mumias West, Matungu, Khwisero and Butere constituencies, northern with Malava, Lugari and Likuyani constituencies.
Central has Lurambi, Ikolomani, Shinyalu and Navakholo constituencies. Oparanya is from the southern region.
Other candidates in the race to replace Oparanya include former senator Boni Khalwale, Shinyalu MP Justus Kizito, Lugari’s Ayub Savula, Senator Cleophas Malala, Amukowa Anangwe, economist Samuel Omukoko, Laban Atemba, Suleiman Sumba and Leonard Shimaka.
Anangwe, Atemba, Sumba, Omukoko and Barasa are from the south, while Kutima, Savula, and Shimaka are in the north.
Khalwale, Kizito and Malala are in the central region.
Khalwale confirmed that some leaders from the north and central have held meetings with elders on how to ensure the seat moves from the south.
“We have held discussions on this matter and I can assure you that we’re going to win this thing with a landslide. We know that Oparanya is planning to concentrate development in the south and we’ll not allow it,”Khalwale said.
Oparanya has repeatedly defended his development record as the first Kakamega governor.
Ikolomani MP Bernard Shinali acknowledged such meetings, saying there was a disquiet on the ground over the manner in which Oparanya’s administration has distributed development in the county.
“We have fully supported Oparanya as governor and we still support him to move up to the national level. It is only fair that he leaves the seat for somebody from either the northern or central regions,” he said.
Shinali, who had also declared to run for the seat, said he stepped down upon realising there were more aspirants from northern and Central regions.
Khalwale, on his part, said leaders from the north and central will agree on a single candidate to stall Oparanya’s schemes.
However, ODM leaning politicians Elsie Muhanda and nominated Senator Naomi Shiyonga want the governor seat to remain in the south, the deputy in the north, while central takes the Senate seat.
Muhanda and Shiyonga are angling to run for Woman rep seat.
Shiyonga fears her chances would be complicated if Kutima, who comes from the north, goes for governor seat, while Muhanda is afraid her arithmetic will be unsettled, if either Khalwale or Malala goes for the governor seat.