By Sarah Omondi
The outcome of the Kiambaa MP seat, which fell vacant following the death of Paul Koinange, will hint at the path that the region is likely to take in the 2022 General elections.
Though the polls have attracted eight candidates, the contest has been reduced to a two-horse race pitting President Uhuru Kenyatta Jubilee’s Kariri Njama and Deputy President William Ruto United Democratic Alliance’s Njuguna Wanjiku.
The constituency has 96, 000 registered voters across its 154 polling stations.
With Dr Ruto having made significant inroads in Mt Kenya region, a win for Mr Njuguna will give the DP more ground and backing for his next year’s presidential bid.
Though he has won quite a number of the Mt Kenya leaders to his side, the recent change of mind for Gatundu South Moses Kuria’s People Empowerment Party’s contestant Raymond Kuria to support the Jubilee candidate in the Kiambaa race points to a difficult task ahead.
Pundits say the decision which MP Kuria said came after ‘President Kenyatta showed him the sense in the path he was taking’ was signaling a change of mind as the Head of State seeks to reclaim some of the lost ground.
The President is banking on the win to reclaim lost glory and prove his might and dominance in the region that continues to shift allegiance to his deputy.
A win for the Jubilee candidate will send the defectors into serious confusion as those contemplating leaving the party will have to rethink their decisions.
For withdrawing its candidate in support of the Jubilee Party’s, PEP will likely get much backing from the vote-rich region.
Apart from being dismissed as an unpopular party, Dr Ruto will be reminded of Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru’s recent remarks that “You cannot buy a Kikuyu but rent him” which will signal a ground sticking to the regional supremo which will threaten his political ambitions.
A win for UDA candidate will dismantle the ruling party and prompt a mass exodus of leaders allied to Mr Kenyatta as will prove that he is no longer in control of the region.
Vote counting is currently underway with tallying at 152 polling stations showing that Mr Njuguna is leading with 21, 401 votes, and Mr Njama follows with 21, 057 votes.
Laikipia Woman Rep Cate Waruguru recently said that there were some unresolved issues in the Jubilee Party warning that if not amicably addressed, will provoke a mass exodus of leaders.
Other pundits believe being a mini-poll that attracted half the total voters in the constituency, the outcome cannot be sufficient enough to prove that UDA is more popular than Jubilee Party.
The hotly contested election shows the supremacy battle pitting the Head of State and his deputy over control of the former’s backyard is not won yet and either of the sides could have a say in the forthcoming elections but a lot of mobilization and popularization of the two parties agenda still needs to be done.
