The battle for Machakos governorship is intensifying, with aspirants traversing the county to woo voters.
There are about five candidates seeking to replace Governor Alfred Mutua. They are former State House chief of staff Nzioka Waita, Mavoko MP Patrick Makau, and ex-CAS Wavinya Ndeti, Deputy Governor Francis Maliti, and former Senator Johnson Muthama.
Waita is a new entrant in the political scene. His campaign strategy has been holding town hall meetings and mini rallies, targeting specific groups to sell his agenda.
He has gained his experience both the private sector and the public sector. He worked at Safaricom for over 15 years, earning the nickname “Mr Fix It” from former CEOs Michael Joseph and Bob Collymore.
Waita was tapped to join President Kenyatta’s team where he spent seven years creating and delivering the Big Four agenda until his resignation in February to join politics.
Waita is a lawyer and schooled in the United Kingdom. His agenda is to fix the water problem in Machakos, health sector, and the road network, among others.
He has been on a listening tour of Machakos for a month now.
Makau, an auditor, has been an MP for Mavoko for almost 10 years. He is a firebrand politician with Kalonzo recently remarking, “when Mutemba (Patrick) becomes bad, he is really bad” during a visit to Daystar area where businessman Jimi Wanjigi accompanied him.
Makau was the first candidate in the Wiper party to pay the nomination fee of Sh 500,000, showing his readiness for what should be a tough nomination exercise against Wavinya. They both hail from Mavoko subcounty and are relatives.
He has made various spurious claims that Waita is not a resident of Machakos and that he is President Kenyatta’s ‘project’ , claims Nzioka has denied.
Wavinya, on the other hand, is a seasoned politician who has twice unsuccessfully run for governor, losing to Mutua on both occasions. With Mutua leaving the scene, she is convinced this is now here best chance.
She served as Kathiani MP between 2007-2013 on the Chama Cha Uzalendo ticket, which she would use again in 2013 in her first unsuccessful gubernatorial quest.
Wavinya joined Wiper in 2017, stirring conflict with Muthama, who was pushing for a Bernard Kiala candidature. Kiala was the Deputy Governor.
And being at loggerheads with Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka about the same, Muthama dropped his bid to defend the Senate seat. Paradoxically, Muthama has supported Wavinya through CCU in 2013.
Wavinya has also served as an assistant minister and Cabinet Administrative Secretary and her training is in computers.
Muthama is expected to vie on the UDA ticket. Maliti is an engineer by profession and is also seeking to succeed his boss as governor.
Speaker Florence Mwangangi (Wiper), lawyer BM Mung’ata a lawyer, and advocate Kyatha Mbaluka have also expressed their interest in the race.
The battle in Machakos will be close and will be defined by the party nominations. Mwangangi, Makau, and Wavinya will have to face off in the Wiper nominations. There is talk Makau has already secured a ticket from a “friendly party”, believing that Kalonzo might hand the ticket to Wavinya, who is slightly more popular and experienced.
It must be remembered that Mutua successfully contested and won the governorship in 2013 coming straight from the civil service and beat Wavinya, an experienced politician.
Political experience may not nip it in Machakos and Waita, Mwangangi, and Makau have good reason to try their luck.
Kathiani is Wavinya’s stronghold, and is also popular in neighbouring Matungulu and Mavoko constituencies, where she hails from.
Makau is popular in Mavoko obviously because he is the MP. Waita has adopted the Chama Cha Uzalendo Party vehicle from Wavinya, the most likely candidate he will have to beat. It is, however, still early to project how things will turn out.
In recent days, particularly after the Azimio convention, there have been claims that Kalonzo and Wavinya managed to secure an exclusive for Machakos, even as Waita’s CCU and other parties signed into Azimio coalition.
President Kenyatta also made some light remarks — that Wavinya is headed to be governor — that seemed to create some controversy.
However, the other candidates in parties affiliated to Azimio have showed unrelenting spirit to go all the way.
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