The Trans Nzoia governor's seat race has expanded with County Assembly Speaker Andrew Mkhisa Wanyonyi becoming the sixth aspirant to declare his bid against incumbent George Natembeya. Wanyonyi, a former MCA, announced his candidature, citing his experience as a grassroots leader and head of the county assembly as key factors. He believes he has the best capacity and ability to run the county and has a clear plan to transform it if elected.
Wanyonyi's bid has received the backing of DAP-K leader Eugene Wamalwa, who publicly endorsed him at Friends Church Kitale last week. This endorsement adds a new dimension to the contest, given Natembeya's history with DAP-K. Natembeya was elected governor on the party's ticket in 2022 but later quit following differences with Wamalwa.
Natembeya has since teamed up with Senator Edwin Sifuna, and the two are expected to unveil a new political party in the next two weeks. The governor has also stepped up his attacks on his growing list of opponents, accusing them of being sponsored by the government to confuse voters ahead of the 2027 election.
Natembeya recently claimed all five of his rivals were government-sponsored and funded to mislead residents into supporting one of them. In response, Wanyonyi's entry follows that of prominent businesswoman Dorcas Njenga, who recently became the second woman to enter the race after former Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha.
Njenga has pledged to transform Trans Nzoia into an agro-industrial region if elected. The other contenders include former Kiminini MP Chris Wamalwa and the current Kiminini MP Maurice Bisau. Wamalwa unsuccessfully challenged Natembeya for the governor's seat in 2022.
With party primaries expected early next year, the aspirants have intensified their grassroots campaigns as they seek to build support ahead of the contest. Natembeya has already declared that he will defend his seat, saying he wants to complete projects initiated by his administration and pursue his vision of tackling poverty and disease in the county.
The growing field has also sharpened criticism of the governor, with his opponents accusing him of focusing on politics at the expense of development. The contest is expected to intensify as the aspirants seek to consolidate grassroots support ahead of party nominations and the 2027 General Election.
Key points
- The Trans Nzoia governor's seat race has expanded with six aspirants now vying for the position.
- Incumbent governor George Natembeya has stepped up his attacks on his opponents, accusing them of being government-sponsored.
- The aspirants have intensified their grassroots campaigns ahead of party primaries expected early next year.
