The battle for the North Mugirango constituency seat is turning into a Jubilee Party versus National Super Alliance (NASA) contest.
The contest between the two leading coalitions is shaping up even as fringe parties try to steal the show.
The incumbent, MP Charles Geni (Makuti) of Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party – a NASA affiliate, is clinging to the seat he has held for the last four years.
But County Assembly Speaker Joash Nyamoko of Jubilee Party and nine others are proving to be his biggest nightmare as he seeks re-election.
Mr Nyamoko and Mr Geni are the dominating forces in the region, but there are 11 other contestants who have lined up to be elected to represent the area.
Nyamoko was Geni's closest challenger in the 2013 elections. Nyamoko emerged second after Geni, who won by a comfortable margin.
The tides of the duel between Jubilee and NASA - the main players in the fight for the Gusii community's swing vote - is now being viewed as a determinant in who wins the seat.
But the two have already dismissed the possibility of parties determining who gets elected in the long run.
Performance records
"We have ideologies and performance records, which the people know very well and which should be used to determine the next leader," said Nyamoko.
Two months ago, Geni promised school and personal bursaries after his opponents raised issues of misappropriation of funds. Another issue his opponents said they planned to capitalise on to dislodge him was what they called inadequacies in representation.
But Geni said his governance was above board, especially when it came to managing public resources.
Aside from Nyamoko and Geni, the other candidates are also mounting intense pressure for the 54,000 votes up for grabs.
They include Johnson Obike, Jason Mosinga, John Ouru, Amos Nyang'au, George Onsongo, Elijah Isaboke, Henry Nyankabaria, James Onchieku and Isaiah Nyaribo. [Stanley Ongwae]
