MWAMISI: Ukambani at a crossroads: Development, leadership and the politics of possibility

Travelling across Machakos, Kitui and Makueni, the pattern is difficult to ignore. Long stretches of dilapidated roads continue to define mobility in many rural areas. Water scarcity remains a daily reality for thousands of households, particularly in Kitui and the deeper parts of Makueni.

In many villages, women and children still trek several kilometres to fetch water, a task that has stubbornly survived successive administrations.

This enduring deficit raises uncomfortable questions about leadership and political priorities in the region.

For nearly three decades, Kalonzo Musyoka occupied some of the highest offices in Kenya’s political establishment.

From his early days in government in the mid-1980s, through senior Cabinet appointments and eventually serving as vice president between 2008 and 2013, he stood firmly within the inner corridors of power.

Few leaders from Ukambani have enjoyed such proximity to national authority for such an extended period.

Yet the visible imprint of that influence within the region remains limited.

President William Ruto captured this contradiction in characteristic fashion during a recent political rally when he joked that Kalonzo had not even developed the road leading to his own home in Tseikuru.

While the remark was delivered with humour, it spoke to a deeper sentiment increasingly shared across Ukambani: that proximity to power does not automatically translate into development for one’s people.

Indeed, politics in the region has long been defined by loyalty to personalities rather than scrutiny of delivery.

 That pattern is now encountering a challenge.

Since assuming office, President Ruto has embarked on a series of development interventions across Ukambani that have begun to reshape the conversation.

Infrastructure upgrades, renewed attention to water projects and the acceleration of long-delayed strategic initiatives have started to signal a shift from rhetorical politics to implementation.

Perhaps the most symbolic of these efforts is the renewed momentum behind Konza Technopolis.

 Under the current administration, however, the project has regained traction. Construction activity has intensified, infrastructure networks are expanding, and investor interest has steadily grown.

If realised fully, Konza will not only anchor Kenya’s digital economy but could fundamentally transform the economic fortunes of Machakos and the wider Ukambani region.

 Such developments highlight a broader truth: regions thrive when they align themselves with a development agenda rather than a politics of perpetual opposition.

 Machakos county offers an instructive case study of this dynamic.

In 2017, Alfred Mutua secured his second term as governor despite fierce opposition from political forces aligned with Kalonzo.

His victory demonstrated an important political reality within the county: Machakos voters tend to reward leaders perceived to be delivering tangible results rather than those merely carrying the banner of established political parties.

The electorate’s judgement appeared guided less by party loyalty and more by visible performance.

 This tendency may again shape the county’s political future as the 2027 gubernatorial race gradually begins to take form.

Increasingly, attention is turning towards the possible return of Nzioka Waita to the Machakos political arena. Waita, a seasoned administrator and former chief of staff and deputy Head of Public Service under then President Uhuru Kenyatta, brings with him a depth of government experience rarely matched in county politics.

Having served at the apex of Kenya’s public administration, Waita understands the mechanics of national government, the intricacies of policy implementation, and the pathways through which large-scale development programmes are executed.

These are not trivial assets. 

Counties today require leaders who can navigate both local governance and national bureaucratic structures with equal competence. Development often hinges not merely on good intentions but on the ability to mobilise resources, align national and county priorities and sustain complex projects through to completion.

In that regard, Waita represents a technocratic profile that could appeal to an electorate increasingly conscious of development outcomes.

 His potential challenge to Governor Wavinya Ndeti in 2027 would therefore not simply be a political contest. It would represent a deeper debate about the direction of Machakos and, by extension, Ukambani’s broader development philosophy.

Underlying this debate is a growing frustration with the regional political establishment dominated by the Wiper Democratic Movement.

 For many critics, Wiper has evolved into a tightly controlled political cartel whose central objective is the preservation of political dominance rather than the transformation of livelihoods. Loyalty to the party hierarchy often appears to outweigh the urgency of addressing structural challenges facing the region.

 Such politics stands in stark contrast to the legacy of leaders like Mulu Mutisya, who is now deceased.

 Mutisya’s political career was defined by a profound commitment to the welfare of his people. His leadership combined humility with an unwavering focus on development. He believed that political authority carried with it a moral obligation to improve the everyday lives of citizens.

That philosophy increasingly feels distant from the contemporary politics of perpetual campaigning and presidential ambitions.

Indeed, Kalonzo’s recurring quest for the presidency continues to dominate the

region’s political discourse. Yet many observers now question whether this fixation serves the

practical interests of Ukambani residents.

With Ruto actively implementing development programmes across the country and positioning himself strongly for reelection, the likelihood of a dramatic political upset appears slim. Betting the region’s future solely on presidential ambitions that may never materialise could therefore prove strategically costly.

What Ukambani arguably requires today is a recalibration of priorities.

The region possesses immense potential: fertile agricultural zones, proximity to Nairobi and strategic projects such as Konza Technopolis that could anchor a modern innovation economy. However, unlocking this potential demands leadership that prioritises development over political symbolism.

 Encouragingly, a number of leaders within the region have already begun to demonstrate that alternative model.

Figures such as Caleb Mule, the MP for Machakos Town, and Vincent Musyoka of Mwala have built strong grassroots support despite their affiliation with the United