Three-quarters of MCAs who served in the second county assembly in Kakamega were voted out of office during the August 9 general election.
According to results, only 15 out of the 60 elected MCAs retained their seats in what would seem like an indication of lack of confidence in the politicians.
A similar number of ward representatives who served in the first county assembly were sent packing by voters in the 2017 general election.
ODM stamped its authority in the county by winning 48 of the 60 MCA seats, giving it absolute control of the county assembly.
The election was canceled in Mumias West ward after the ANC candidate died before election.
The new Kakamega governor will be known after the Monday elections.
The polls were delayed following discovered anomalies in the ballot papers.
Political analyst Martin Andati said that the ward reps were sent home by voters as punishment for their failure to deliver development to their areas.
Andati said that failure by county executive headed by outgoing Governor Wycliffe Oparanya to give MCAs ward development fund accelerated their journey home.
“So many people are yet to appreciate the role of an MCA and believe they should do development and give them money. They feel let down if they fail to do development yet its not their role,” he said.
Political analyst Martin Oloo said that like MPs, MCAs suffer from widespread mismatch between campaign promises and expectations by the leaders during campaigns.
“It is not new. It’s a common trend in Kenyan politics that over 70 per cent of MCAs and MPs are sent home because what the voters expect from them cannot be achieved,” he said.
“Voters see elected leaders as moving ATMs and expect money from them every time they interact, but the truth is that money cannot be enough to please every one,” he added.
Oloo said that in many instances, serving governors try to keep the ward reps on leashes but they again fail in the end based on how one has entrenched himself or herself with the electorate.
Edited by Henry Makori
