For some time now, Keiyo South MP Gideon Kimaiyo alias ‘Sonko’ has been on the spotlight for not marrying, a fact his opponents have often used against him politically.
However, the youthful MP has finally come out strongly to tell off his political detractors, whom he said lack any agenda for the people.
He dared his political opponents to prepare for a bruising political battle oin next year’s polls.
Kimaiyo has maintained that he has done a lot in his first term in office and called on the electorate to re-elect him for a second term.
“If we have to compete on development record, I have got all it takes. Sonko also has all the requisite academic qualifications. I also have all leadership qualities,” Kimaiyo said recently during a function at Koptega in his constituency.
According to Kimaiyo, marriage is not a priority for him at the moment, arguing that after his parents died, he had a lot of issues to attend to, including going to school, educating his siblings and building decent houses for them before thinking of any marriage plans.
“I made a decision to first change the face of our family. I am happy I have achieved all that with all my siblings having gone to school and having decent shelters. Have I let you down in terms of my development record?” Kimaiyo asked the crowd.
“My opponents had wives, but I did not see any tangible development record, including good roads and clean water for our people. Lakini nimejipanga (however, all is set). Nitawaalika harusi yangu hivi karibuni (I will invite you to my wedding soon). Sijui tunaoshindana nao wataombea nini kura ( I don’t know what my opponents will use to campaign),” he added amid applause from the crowd.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki recently waded into Sonko’s marriage talk during his tour of Sitotwo in Elgeyo Marakwet County at a women empowerment function where he jokingly asked the MP ‘kama amepata jiko’ loosely translated if he has married.
The DP jokingly tasked Keiyo North MP Adams Kipsanai to bring him a report on when Kimaiyo will finally settle down.
Kimaiyo will battle it out for President William Ruto-led United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ticket with veteran Elgeyo Marakwet County politician Micah Kigen and Alex Kipkemboi Rotich alias ‘Mangara’, another youthful aspirant who is banking on youth support.
At least five other aspirants are said to be eyeing the seat but are yet to publicly make their intentions known.
Kimaiyo trounced Daniel Rono alias ‘Kamlesh’ in the 2022 elections, who had served for one term after taking over from Jackson Kiptanui who served for two terms.
The three aspirants have already hit the ground running and have been attending public functions and church events to sell their agenda to the people.
Kimaiyo has been sponsoring community projects, including free education for all day secondary school students in the constituency.
He is also credited for sponsoring a football tournament ‘Sonko Tournament’ where grassroot football teams win cash prizes running into millions to nurture sports talent among the youth.
“The tournament has not only nurtured talent but has also created jobs for our young people and kept them away from negative vices. When you are genuine to the people, they show you genuine love,” Kimaiyo said.
Kigen on his part is seeking to turn tables down in Keiyo South parliamentary race after being three times unlucky.
He is banking on his efforts of transforming lives in the community through health empowerment and community driven-initiatives through his Kagoech Foundation Trust to unseat Kimaiyo in next year’s polls.
Kigen’s manifesto is mainly rooted in re-introducing politics of development, harmony and socio-economic transformation through innovation plus capacity building and investment in the people especially the youth.
“The people of Keiyo South deserve a capable, development conscious, experienced, well networked and resourceful person. If I fit that description very well,” Kigen, 62, told Nairobian.
