It all started with the Moi University don Battan Khaemba who following the creation of Kiminini constituency carved out from Saboti constituency in 2013, battled with Chris Wamalwa for the new seat. Khaemba was at it again in 2017 and this time round, it seemed that the lecturer had not learnt the tricks of the Kiminini voters who gave a resounding defeat against the don despite joining hands with Bishop Julius Mbagaya and Rev Moses Zawedi.
Chris Wamalwa
The coming in of the legendary secondary school principal Cosmas Nabungolo though belatedly late to join anti-Wamalwa camp in 2017 did not convince the people of Kiminini not to give Wamalwa a second term in the national assembly. He went ahead to record a darling performance for the two terms. Nabungolo was not in the race but was opposed to the MP being re-elected. As we move to approach general election, Wamalwa has shifted gear from the constituency to the governor’s seat.
Julius Mbagaya
Probable names have been floated among them senior National Treasury official Kituyi Wambaya, Martin Nangole, a Nairobi based IT expert, Kiminini ward rep David Kisaka, Devolution CS Eugene Wamalwa, women representative Janet Nangabo and Joseph Wafula. Nangole is the son of the late Trans Nzoia county chairman Maurice Nangole. Wambaya and Nangole, if they go for the seat, are bound to complicate matters due to their financial muscle. Nangole, in 2017 general elections, was one of those mentioned to be eyeing Trans Nzoia governorship race but did not run.
Cosmas Nabungolo
Also on the long list are Biketi Musuya, Paul Sitati, Martin Wamalwa of Mt Kenya University and a medical practitioner Juma King’ora from Bikeke farm. The 2017 ANC candidate Peter Kusimba is reported to have hung up his boots but with other sources saying the former provincial administrator is considering to make a political party shift. It is interesting that both Musuya and Joseph Wafula come from Sikhendu area and it remains to be seen how the two will fair. Wafula tested the political waters by attending several masses in different denominations before hosting youths for a brainstorming session at Engo Club opposite the Kitale Airstrip, reminiscent of Chris Wamalwa’s style of campaign.
David Kisaka
Those proposing CS Wamalwa to go for the parliamentary seat opine the CS will be banking on the passing of the BBI that creates for the two positions of the prime minister which he hopes to contest as he agitates to maintain his national political clout. However, the CS is also facing another camp of supporters who want him to go for governorship. The CS is playing his political cards close to his chest by waiting for the final outcome of the BBI process before making his move. And in women rep Nangabo joining the parliamentary seat bandwagon, she hopes to align herself with Bungoma senator and Ford-K leader Moses Wetang’ula to back her on the party ticket after her fallout with CS Wamalwa within the ruling Jubilee coalition.
Eugene Wamalwa
The same story goes for Chris’ close ally Susan Nakhumicha, a pharmacist who is likely to walk down the aisle of the constituency from the echelons of the WR. But even as Chris rolls to move out of the constituency, questions are bound to be asked: What legacy does the MP leave behind? Does he have a preferred heir? And does he command the respect and power of anointing his successor? According to Kiminini MCA David Kisaka, the constituency is well-endowed economically and it does not require the endorsement of anyone to be an MP and gave the example of Chris himself who was not blessed by any political leader for the two consecutive terms he has served in parliament.
The late Michael Wamalwa Kijana
He also gave the example of the leader of the Federal Party of Kenya FPK Andrew Kutitila and former Sikhendu MCA who had relied on Chris to be the next area MP but had bowed out due to pressure. Other aspirants who started off with the MP are also reported to be sliding away for their own prosperity. To Kisaka, the chair of the Trans-Nzoia county assembly budget committee, what was important was for any aspirant to interact with the residents and answer to public needs as opposed to waiting for anointment. But close confidants to MP said their boss could not afford to make a blunder of siding with any aspirant as this would spoil his contest for the governor.
Janet Nangabo
It is only in Kiminini that Chris has yet to identify himself with his parliamentary aspirant with one Joseph Pepela having been given the go-ahead for Saboti, lawyer Bernard Milimo for Cherangany, Robert Simiyu for Endebess and the incumbent Ferdinand Wanyonyi for Kwanza. As the residents prepare to usher in a new MP after 10 years of Chris, they will be hoping to see deviation from the empowering of the people to run their businesses other than depending on the practice of handouts, the initiation of piped water and the improvement of the infrastructure to easy movement of agricultural goods and the modernising of schools.
Mukhisa Kituyi
Some of the prominent nonpolitical personalities in the area include former Kenya Seed CEO Nathaniel Tum, PS Gordon Kihalangwa, ex-PS Samson Akute, Emmanuel Milimo and a host of politicians including Mukhisa Kituyi, Reuben Nabwera, Nairobi senator Johnson Sakaja, CSs Eugene Wamalwa and John Munyes. A host of sitting and former governors have settled at the Amagoro Spatial Estate along the Kitale-Eldoret highway. Politically, Kiminini remains the favourite of Ford-K although Jubilee won two wards – Waitaluk with Alfred Weswa and Sirende with Simon Makhanu in 2017 while ODM scooped the Nabiswa ward through Martin Jamanoor.
Gordon Kihalangwa
But Ford-K’s grip of Kiminini does not mean the other parties are shut out of the area as it is reported that the UDA associated with William Ruto through Tony Muyoti was preparing to confront the One Kenya Alliance being fronted by Wetang’ula and the ANC party leader Musalia Mudavadi. Muyoti could be vying for the Kiminini seat on the UDA ticket. He has set up a platform for DP Ruto’s presidential campaign. On the other hand, the ODM county party boss Patrick Musungu has been holding consultative meetings at the Central Kiminini township. An ODM party official, Washington Ngesa, says they will be seeking for the party’s approval for the branch to conduct party parliamentary and civic nominations to cart away from the old tradition where the party headquarters had given tickets to unknown aspirants to the rejoice of rival parties. All in all, Kiminini constituency will have a fierce battle as the about 75,000 voters within 49 polling stations seek for a replacement of Chris. The late Vice president Michael Wamalwa served as area MP for the larger Sabaot before Kiminini was hard from it
