The battle for the coveted gubernatorial seat is gaining momentum in Tharaka Nithi County with Chuka University Vice-Chancellor Erastus Njoka becoming more popular every passing day.
The mantra ‘Transformative Leadership’ which is Prof Njoka’s campaign clarion call that encapsulates the don’s leadership ideals is turning a household phrase in the county.
Prof Njoka who is serving his second and last term as a VC is banking on his excellent infrastructure performance as the varsity’s Chief Executive Officer to convince the county residents to elect him in 2022.
The Prof has embarked on a rigorous tour of the county planting trees, donating foodstuff, and attending various events where he discredits incumbent Governor Muthomi Njuki’s leadership.
Njoka describes Njuki’s style of leadership as ‘Transactional Leadership’ and blames him for ‘lack of development’ in the devolved unit.
In the 2017 election campaigns, the VC was Njuki’s bosom friend and most of the top-secretive campaign strategy meetings were held overnight at the university with Dr Jafford Njeru Rithaa as the moderator.
Political analysts argue that betrayal and personal interest is to blame for the delicate surgery that separated the twins who were conjoined at the hip in 2013 and 2017 elections.
Prof Njoka is publically enticing the Tharaka community with Tharaka University College, a constituent college of Chuka University. The VC argues that the college is a clear indicator of the great love for the people of Tharaka.
He is equally capitalizing on the Chogoria campus that was opened recently to lure residents of Maara constituency to vote for him.
Prof Njoka has a huge task to clean himself off the ‘tribal blemishes’ which his competitors are capitalizing on to advance enmity with the Tharaka and Igambang’ombe residents.
National Museums of Kenya Director-General, Dr Mzalendo Kibunjia, the Machakos County Assembly clerk, Mr Gitari Mbuki and Senator Prof Kithure Kindiki are also angling for the county boss position which Njuki has vowed to defend strongly.
Prof Njoka, Mr Mbiuki, and Governor Njuki are from the Chuka sub-tribe while Prof Kindiki and Dr Mzalendo come from the Tharaka community.
The county is made up of three constituencies, Chuka/Igambang’ombe, Maara and Tharaka with a total of 213,154 registered voters according to the 2017 General Election Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) register.
According to the register; Chuka/Igambang’ombe constituency topped with the highest number of registered voters in the county at 76, 486 followed by Maara constituency with 68,729 and the last Tharaka constituency with 67, 939.
