When donkeys disrupt two-horse races and refuse to give up easily

Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and DAP- Kenya party leader Eugene Wamalwa during the launch of new DAP- Kenya party headquarters in Karen, Nairobi on January 27, 2025. [Collins Oduor, Standard]

A two-horse race in politics is a high-stakes election where seemingly, only two candidates have a real chance of winning. In this context, 'donkeys' can be described as candidates who apparently have no chance, as it's assumed that one of the two 'horses' will ultimately win.

In early 2013, I interviewed Prof James ole Kiyiapi at Serena Hotel, for an international media house. This intense encounter allowed me to scrutinise his policy proposals and gain insight into the man's values. In subsequent weeks, after evaluating the policies and track records of all presidential candidates, I ultimately voted for Prof Kiyiapi, despite him being a 'donkey' in a two-horse race between Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga. When the ballots were counted, my vote was among the mere 40,998 he received. This was just 0.34 per cent of the total, placing him second to last in an eight-person contest.