Uasin Gishu politics put Ruto, his party dominance to test

Uasin Gishu County is home to leading athletic champions who have brought Kenya international fame. [PHOTOS: PETER OCHIENG’/STANDARD]

By Titus Too

RIFT VALLEY; KENYA: The search for the first Uasin Gishu County governor has finally shaped up as a two-horse race pitting a Cabinet minister and a newcomer in elective politics.

However, the race had initially attracted six candidates but the four were dropped during the parties’ nominations last month. Thus only two have been cleared by the electoral commission to contest for the seat.

In the tight competition, Higher Education minister Prof Margaret Kamar will be representing the Orange Democratic Movement party (under the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy alliance) while a little known but equally tough Jackson Mandago will be carrying the United Republican Party ticket (under the Jubilee alliance).

Therefore, in Uasin Gishu, it will be a reminiscence of the national politics where the presidential race is hotly contested between the two alliances.

And for fear of losing the county seat, each side of the divide is doing all its best to win what analysts see as popularity contest between the ODM and URP party leaders Raila Odinga and William Ruto.

Uasin Gishu is home to the immediate former Eldoret North MP who is the Jubilee deputy president candidate. Thus URP is the most popular party in this county.

At the same time, the contest will (dis)prove a common believe that the area community has no faith in ODM and its party leader after he broke ranks with Ruto shortly after the 2007 General Election.

The contest for the URP ticket was the toughest as candidates seemed to believe the party flag bearer would have an ease sail in the March 4 election.

High expectations

Mandago, who was little known prior to the nominations, had to brave a tough battle to beat other aspirants, including a former Moi University don Dr Julius Bitok and Veska Kangongo.

Kamar or Mandago, whoever between themis elected the first county governor will have a hard task of trying to meet the residents’ high expectations among them transforming the county’s high potentials into good opportunities that will improve living standards of the residents.

Highrise buildings and residential areas are springing up and the town is gradually turning into a 24-hour economy. This has seen scores of local and international investors attracted to the region.

This thus demands the governor to be elected to possess credible managerial skills to ensure, among other things, job creation for youths and county revenue are given leading priority.

Uasin Gishu is also home to prominent athletic stars who have achieved various tittles at international races. The athletes have marketed the image of the region and sports tourism can thrive.

The first county government is also expected to seek solutions that will address the challenges that have denied local farmers opportunity to exploit full potentials of their business.

Poor marketing of produce and lack of industries for value addition has led to the exploitation of farmers by middlemen. Cereals traders take advantage of the situation during harvest seasons when maize and wheat is in abundance.

Apart from the enormous economic opportunities, Uasin Gishu is also becoming a major political powerhouse not only in the North Rift region but also at the national level.

Gender factor

This is one of the counties presidential candidates cannot afford to ignore. It has the numbers and can easily influence the presidential voting pattern. Jubilee believes it has pocketed the county vote by virtue of one of its leading leaders being the alliance’s deputy presidential candidate.

If Kamar is elected, the region would be maintaining its recognition of gender in elective positions. The North Rift region was among the areas that elected the most female leaders into the last Parliament.

Eldoret North is reputed for producing the first Kalenjin elected female MP Chelagat Mutai in the early 1980s.

In the governor race, it is believed Mandago will have an upper hand due to his party popularity. Also aspirants for other seats on this party ticket are heavily banking on its wave to win.

Area leaders say as the clock ticks to the elections, voters should elect a leader who would unite them, transform the region and turn the challenges into rewarding opportunities.

It will require a manager to ensure all sectors — including agriculture, tourism and commercial — are enhanced to generate income and turn the area an economic hub in the devolved system of governance.