County chiefs defied gender norms and big money to win

Nairobi City inspectorates on guard at the KICC during the swearing-in ceremony KICC of Ann Kananu. [Samson Wire, Standard] The odds were stacked against them in the race for governorship. Some were fighting a battle to unseat incumbents, while others faced political heavyweights. Some contestants were swimming against the tide of popular party waves. But these candidates managed to wade through it all to win the governor's seat. In Meru, Kawira Mwangaza floored incumbent Kiraitu Murungi, a veteran politician, in a region that the UDA fever dominated. The 43-year-old former Woman Rep also beat former senator Mithika Linturi of president-elect William Ruto's party to win as an Independent. In Homa Bay, when Gladys Wanga takes the oath of office today, she will the first woman governor in Nyanza. This is also the case with Kwale's Fatuma Achani, who takes over from her former boss, Salim Mvurya, in a region that had until now not had a woman governor. Besides the three, other women elected as governors are Cecily Mbarire (Embu), Susan Kihika (Nakuru), Anne Waiguru (Kirinyaga) and Wavinya Ndeti (Machakos). For a woman who dropped out of school for lack of school fees to work as a house help, Ms Mwangaza's rise has surprised many. He determination saw her resume learning at the Moyale Girls' School. She now holds a degree from Kampala International University. A bishop at the Baite Family Fellowship Church at Makutano, Meru, she chose a cleric, the Reverend Mutuma Ethingia, as her running mate. The founder of Baite TV, which was critical in her campaigns, got 209,148 votes. Mr Linturi and Mr Murungi, a former Cabinet minister, had 183, 859 and 110, 814 votes respectively. In Homa Bay, Ms Wanga also faced seasoned and influential politicians. Her first battle came during the ODM primaries in a region where clinching the party ticket is crucial. Among those who had been hoping for a nod to fly the Orange party flag included the chairman, John Mbadi, former Nairobi governor, Evans Kidero, and former Kasipul MP, Oyugi Magwanga. Also in the race was Governor Cyprian Awiti's deputy, Hamilton Orata, as well as the secretary-general of the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers, Akello Misori. She, however, managed to clinch the ticket courtesy of intense boardroom meetings that saw almost all the candidates shelve their ambitions in her favour. But that was only the start of a fierce rivalry. Dr Kidero chose to vie as an Independent, giving Ms Wanga a tough run. Homa Bay governor-elect Gladys Wanga. [James Omoro, Standard] Today, she will be sworn in with Mr Magwanga as her deputy. In Migori, Ochillo Ayacko had lost in his two previous attempts to take the seat. In 2013, he lost his bid to clinch the ODM ticket and dropped out of the race. In 2017, Mr Ayacko vied as an Independent but was defeated by Okoth Obado in a race that ended up in court. Two years later, he was elected as the county's third senator after the death of former journalist Ben Oluoch. In Nyamira, Governor Amos Nyaribo will today start his second term after winning through the little-known United Progressive Alliance Party. Running against the wave He had only served for two years after taking over from the late John Nyagarama. For former Mwatate MP, Andrew Mwadime, wresting the seat from outgoing Taita Taveta governor, Granton Samboja, was no easy task. Mr Mwadime vied as an Independent in a region where most seats went to Azimio la Umoja one Kenya Coalition, garnering 49,901 votes against Mr Samboja of the Jubilee Party, who had 23,718 votes. In the run up to the polls, the lawmaker defected from ODM to CPK, which is allied to the Kenya Kwanza Alliance. But after a short stint, he resigned and announced that he would run as an Independent. Today is also a big day for Ms Ndeti, whose 10-year quest for Machakos governorship has finally paid off. The 54-year-old clinched the seat after a fierce battle with former State House chief of staff, Nzioka Waita. In Embu, the 49-year-old Ms Mbarire beat a strong rival in Devolution Empowerment Party ticket bearer and former senator and MP, Lenny Kivuti, who was making a second stab at the seat. She had 108, 610 votes while Mr Kivuti got 105,248. Turkana governor-elect Jeremiah Lomorukai (ODM) will today sit in the highest office in the county after serving as Turkwel Ward MCA. Mr Lomorukai defeated former Cabinet Secretary and veteran politician John Munyes and John Lodepe, the outgoing two-term Turkana Central MP who had the backing of the outgoing governor, Josphat Nanok. In Uasin Gishu, governor-elect Jonathan Bii has been losing parliamentary elections since 2002. He lost to president-elect William Ruto twice in the battle for Eldoret North seat. Uasin Gishu governor-elect Jonathan Bii. [Stafford Ondego, Standard] In Nandi, governor-elect Stephen Sang will mark the beginning of his second and final term. Mr Sang served as the first county senator before dethroning Dr Cleophas Lagat. Kericho's new governor, Erick Mutai, will be ushering in a new era after Paul Chepkwony's two terms in office. Dr Mutai garnered 316,768 votes to win the seat by beating Isaac Biyegon, who came second with 6,603 votes. Despite limited resources and political experience, Dr Mutai in 2020 announced he would go for the top seat, using an old Toyota saloon car to campaign. His governorship bid was initially dismissed by some. But step by step, the grassroots campaign by the man from Rungut village in Bureti, who branded himself as the 'Equalizer', started gaining steam. Among those who be beat for the UDA ticket were former Cabinet Secretary Charles Keter, who had branded himself as 'Transformer'.

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