Term-curbed young county bosses weigh their options for 2022

Some 10 youthful governors serving their second term in office are already plotting a new chapter in their political lives after the 2022 polls.

While a few, such as Mombasa’s Hassan Joho, 45, and his Machakos counterpart Alfred Mutua, 47, are training their eyes on the presidency, most are toying with going to the Senate, or Nyumba ya Wazee as it has been condescendingly called by a coterie of National Assembly members in their supremacy battles with senators.

The county chiefs have to contend with Article 180 (7a) of the Constitution that bars them from seeking fresh mandate after serving two consecutive terms, however young or popular they may be.

The reality that the trappings of power that come with the high office will be no more in just about four years has seen them plotting their next move at a time when the country is still smarting from a long drawn-out electoral cycle.

SENATE

Another humbling reality for those jostling for the highest seat in the land is that while the devolved system allows for 47 “mini-presidents’” only one can become the President, making it more competitive.

The youngest of them all, Mr Alex Tolgos, 38, of Elgeyo-Marakwet, could be contemplating going for the Senate.

His allies say they could “swap places” with Senate Majority Leader Kipchumba Murkomen, although the senator has hinted to close friends that he prefers to play a pivotal role in Deputy President William Ruto’s government should the latter succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Mr Murkomen declined to comment on his future plans.

AMBITIONS

Equally, some of the county chiefs are positioning themselves for ambassadorial and Cabinet appointments after the next election.

Interviews with a majority of the youthful governors revealed the lack of interest with which they view parliamentary positions given the stature of the governor’s position and the massive resources they currently control.

For them it is the curse of success, grappling with where to proceed from here. They hold that you can’t climb this high then settle for a lesser position.

Dr Mutua reckons that his 2022 State House journey has begun in earnest, a statement that can only brew more tension between him and former Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka, the Ukambani political supremo nursing similar ambitions.

“With God’s grace, I will be the fifth President of Kenya,” Governor Mutua said.

ALIGNMENTS

Murang’a Governor Mwangi Wa Iria, 47, who weathered a tough onslaught from former Kigumo MP Jamleck Kamau to retain the seat is among the blue-eyed boys from the Mount Kenya region with the hopes of leading the country one day.

“Because the people of Murang’a will be happy with our work after five years, that will give us the right impetus to seek other assignments at the national level,” he says.

Mr Wa Iria is among politicians from President Kenyatta’s central region backyard who hopes to become Mr Ruto’s running mate in the next presidential election.

This is, however, hinged on an assumption that the pre-2017 alignments stay intact and the region wholly rallies behind the number two in command.

ATTENTION

Increasingly, there are conflicting signals about such commitment.

Others from the region with ambitions like those of the Murang’a governor are his Kirinyaga counterpart Anne Waiguru, though this is her first term, Tharaka-Nithi Senator Kithure Kindiki and Kiambu lawmaker Kimani Wamatangi, among others.

Kericho Governor Paul Chepkwony, 47, acknowledged that while his second term will end, he has a long life ahead of him in politics, but he chose to play safe.

“I’ll apply my mind to it at the right time. I do not want to have divided attention,” he said.

OPTIONS

The government in 2009 pegged the official retirement age at 60 for civil servants, up from 55.

Kilifi’s Amason Kingi, 44, Uasin Gishu boss Jackson Mandago, 44, and Mandera’s Ali Roba, 47, are some of the ambitious governors in their final term in office scratching their heads over the options available for them.

Mr Samuel Tunai, 46, of Narok and Mr Salim Mvurya, 48, from Kwale, a close ally of the Deputy President, are among those hoping to make it to his Cabinet in the event he runs and wins in 2022.