- Azimio settles on Wamunyinyi for the Bungoma senate battle.
- Wamunyinyi who lost the Kanduyi seat will battle with Ford Kenya.
Image: TONY WAFULA
Former Kanduyi MP Ferdinand Wanyonyi will be the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition candidate for the Bungoma Senatorial race.
The by-election to replace Moses Wetangula, who resigned for election as National Assembly Speaker, will be held on December 8.
On Sunday, the leadership of Azimio Affiliate parties in Bungoma county held talks and agreed that the coalition will have a sole candidate for the by-election.
The parties that attended the meeting in Bungoma town include retired President Uhuru Kenyatta's Jubilee, Raila Odinga's ODM, Kalonzo Musyoka's Wiper, Kanu of Gideon Moi and DAP-K.
On Monday, Wamunyinyi, who is also the leader of DAP-K, said the coalition had endorsed him for the seat ahead of the December poll.
“It is true that the affiliate parties have settled on me as the coalition's flagbearer for the by-election on the DAP-K ticket,” Wamunyinyi told the Star.
Wamunyinyi will face off with the Ford Kenya party's choice for the high-stakes battle that will see President William Ruto lock horns with Azimio leader Raila Odinga.
A meeting of Azimio one Kenya coalition member parties; ODM, Jubilee, Wiper, DAP-K, KANU, held today in Bungoma endorsed my candidature for the Bungoma senatorial by-election. pic.twitter.com/1JnSHJldnu
— Wafula Wamunyinyi CBS (@wamunyinyi) October 30, 2022
President Ruto will be relying on Wetangula to capture the seat so as to firm up the Kenya Kwanza grip in the Senate as the majority coalition.
Ford Kenya is a member of the Kenya Kwanza coalition that also brings together big parties like Ruto's United Democratic Alliance and Musalia Mudavadi's Amani National Congress.
It is still unclear who will fly the Ford Kenya flag in the race with over 10 aspirants eyeing the ticket.
The race is of high significance for both Kenya Kwanza and Azimio coming four months after Ruto narrowly beat Raila in the August 9 presidential contest.
In a resounding victory, the Kenya Kwanza Alliance co-principal garnered 286,143 votes, affirming his grip on the politics of the Luyha nation.
The overwhelming support on the ground was extended to Ruto's presidential votes.
Ruto will be keen to retain the seat in a bid to consolidate his support in Western Kenya and parry away Raila's efforts to firm up his support in the region.