Veteran human rights defender Suba Churchill
Looking at the voter registration patterns and the fact that, you know, the bulk of them are young people, first-time voters who are excited about generational change, it may deny the President a significant chunk of the voting population from the Western region.
Given that Sifuna might be the first most serious presidential aspirant and, of course, candidate from that part of the world, which traditionally splits its votes amongst different presidential aspirants, the Sifuna wave may affect Ruto’s claim of the region.
Looking at the manner in which Kenya Kwanza and UDA in particular pitch their tents in Western, you would think the presidential campaign is already complete with the Bungoma governor as the coordinator.
The stakes seem to be high, and it seems that the President is out to ensure he wins the region, not just from his former opponent turned ally Raila Odinga, but also to keep it for himself, away from potential drifting to any other candidate, Sifuna included.
I think the President, over and above the ongoing campaigns, did a good job recapturing the seat in Malava.
But the fact that the party also lost a civic ward to the new DCP, whose leadership does not, apart from Malala, come from the region, is an indication that some pockets of the region can actually slip away from his hand, unless he goes back to the pledges that he made to the people of Western.
Remember, in the 2022 elections, the key allies or principles that the President managed to persuade was Musalia Mudavadi and Moses Wetang’ula, both of whom have been rewarded according to the promises made to them.
Wetang’ula remains the Speaker, and that was the promise made to him. Mudavadi is the Prime Cabinet Secretary, given a notch, the first among equals in the Cabinet, but that is not all.
The President made certain promises; he said he would ensure there are given stretches of roads, a number of other appointments made in the government, beyond the two topmost seats that have since been secured by the two leaders of the region.
He should ensure the promises are fulfilled to get better bargaining power in the region.
The veteran activist spoke to the Star
