Western Kenya leaders divided as Marende and Jirongo form political party

National Assembly Speaker Kenneth Marende (R) shows former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo a message on phone while they attended a funds drive at Imusutsu secondary school in Vihiga County on May 29, 2015. The leaders said they were in talks to make a new party United Democratic Party to unite the Western Region. [Photo: ERIC LUNGAI/STANDARD]

KAKAMEGA: The battle for the control of the vote-rich Western Kenya has started in earnest as the region's political heavyweights position themselves ahead of 2017 General Election.

But the heavyweights are competing among themselves as camps come up with varying political vehicles for the country's top leadership positions.