Veterans to face plucky newbies for governor seat

Sibling rivalry is expected to play out during the Nyandarua gubernatorial race.

Governor Daniel Waithaka recently unveiled Gikonyo Gathimba as his running mate.

Ironically, Mr Gathimba is the younger brother of Mr Peter Mwangi, a former county executive committee member in charge of Tourism, who has also declared his candidature for the region’s governor’s seat in the August 8 polls.

In the last General Election, Mr Mwangi contested the seat, emerging second.

The governor later appointed him to his Cabinet, first as the Tourism executive before being transferred to the Cooperatives docket in the same capacity.

He resigned last month to pursue his political ambitions.

Mr Gathimba, on the other hand, comes from the populous Kinangop constituency and had initially declared an interest in the region’s parliamentary seat currently held by Mr Stephen Kinyanjui.

The county boss says his decision to settle on Mr Gathimba as his number two was arrived at after “wider consultation” with his political backers and family members.

The choice is likely to put the younger Gathimba in the firing line, with political detractors terming it a “betrayal”.

It has, however, made the race an interesting affair, with two family members expected to go for each other’s jugular in the hunt for votes.   

“The decision to settle on Mr Gathimba was reached after consultations with my allies and family members. I believe we are going to work together well in our quest to transform the country,” says Governor Waithaka. 

PARTY PRIMARIES
The county boss believes his relationship with his running mate will be ‘perfect’, unlike his current deputy Waithaka Kirika. 

Like many other governors across the country, Governor Waithaka and his deputy do not see eye to eye .

Mr Kirika has often times accused his boss of sidelining him by not including him in the decision-making processes, a claim Governor Waithaka has denied.

Two years ago, Governor Waithaka dropped his deputy from the lucrative Lands and Housing docket as a result of the squabbles and instead appointed Mr Gitau Thambanja to the position. 

The battle for the governor’s seat has attracted six candidates including former Head of Civil Service Francis Kimemia, deputy Governor Waithaka Kirika, businessman Moses Ndirangu, Dr Simon Kanyingi, former county secretary Muchina Kanja and Mr Peter Mwangi (Gathimba’s brother).

All the other candidates save for Mr Kanja, who will be vying on a Maendeleo Chap Chap ticket, are eyeing the Jubilee Party’s ticket and will battle it out in the nominations slated for next month.  

Financial prudence remains the biggest headache for the sitting governor and continues to dog his administration with questions being raised over various audit reports.

The governor enjoys support in Nyandarua Central and easily trounced his opponents in the last polls.

Mr Kimemia, perhaps, remains one of his strongest challengers.

The soft-spoken former civil servant enjoys widespread connections across the political divide, putting him in good stead to sail through the Jubilee party primaries.

A staunch Catholic, it is expected that some of the faithful might throw their weight behind him, boosting his numbers.

PEOPLE'S VOICE
He has been making inroads in the vast county and he has been attending various functions in a bid to woo the electorate.

But he is, however, regarded an elitist in some quarters, making it tricky for the first time politician to slug it out with his opponents when push comes to a shove.   

A man of immense wealth, the career civil servant is expected to run a smooth campaign owing to his financial muscle.

Deputy Governor Kirika, on the other hand, is a shrewd mobiliser, a toughened politician who understands the political dynamics of the county like the back of his hand.

An orator par excellence and schemer, he remains a formidable candidate, just like in the yesteryears when he won the Kinangop parliamentary seat twice.

He keeps his audience glued to his banter and is at his best when articulating issues affecting the agriculturally rich county.

His immediate fall-out with his boss soon after the two were ushered into office was not unexpected as Mr Kirika is an abrasive politician who freely speaks his mind.

During the 2013 polls, his supporters attributed his surprise loss to the incumbent to confusion in names with both called Daniel Waithaka Mwangi and Waithaka Mwangi Kirika.

His shortcoming remains his failure to work with his former boss, an attribute that was said to have derailed the fortunes of the county.

Also in the race is Nyandarua Senator Muriuki Karue who has decided to take his political career a notch higher, taking a stab at the governorship.

With his place in the history books assured owing to the introduction of CDF cash, his brainchild, Mr Karue's ability to initiate laudable Bills in parliament remains commendable.

He also has the ear of the disillusioned farmers for his well-documented fight for their welfare. He needs no introduction in the political arena having been an MP. He easily won the senatorial seat.

SMALL OUTFIT
Veterinarian and successful businessman Simon Kanyingi personifies generational change.

He is relatively young and charismatic and has been traversing the county ensuring that his name remains in the voter’s lips.

He has restricted his campaign to meeting with supporters in informal settings.

With his roots in Ndaragwa, the first time entrant is hoping to get backing from the constituency as he spreads his tentacles.

Businessman Moses Ndirangu is equally a popular candidate who is fancying his chances of upsetting the form book.

With solid support in his Ol Kalou backyard, he might prove to be a surprise package during the nomination contest.

He is also a well-respected scholar who might appeal to neutral voters.

Maendeleo Chap Chap hopeful Mr Muchina Kanja will have the luxury of sidestepping the Jubilee primaries but his work will be trying to convince the electorate to back him on the Alfred Mutua-led party.

Being a well-documented Jubilee zone, Mr Kanja will be walking on a slippery ground in his effort to become the Nyandarua governor on a ticket of a little-known party.