The Uasin Gishu gubernatorial race has taken a new twist following the endorsement of incumbent Governor Jackson Mandago by Deputy President William Ruto.
DP Ruto may have unknowingly consolidated votes for Mandago's arch rival Businessman Bundotich Zedekiah Kiprop alias Buzeki.
Buzeki had initially been branded as Ruto's political project, but following the public pronouncements by Ruto himself, Buzeki has been liberated from the 'project' tag.
The odds now favour the businessman popularly known as 'Nebo Chego' which loosely translates to milkman.
Governor Mandago’s loose tongue has also come in handy for Buzeki, gaining a firm grip on the non-Kalenjin vote in the county. The latter is largely seen as a tribal bigot.
Last year he was at the forefront opposing the appointment of Moi University Vice Chancellor Prof. Laban Ayiro, who he termed an 'outsider'. And a few weeks ago he continued his tribal tirades warning the Kikuyu community against supporting Buzeki.
In Turbo constituency, Governor Mandago is also behind the candidature of his political advisor Janet Rotich and has been openly against the Jubilee nominee Kevin Okwara, who is from the Luhya community.
Occasioned by his tribal connotations, it will be an uphill task for Mandago to woo the non-Kalenjin vote which according to statics amount to close to 40 per cent of the county's voting population.
The arithmetic in the populous Turbo constituency also largely favour Buzeki, since his running mate Samwel Cheruiyot hails from the constituency. This adds more salt to Mandago's political injury since he had early been accused of side lining Turbo in his five year tenure.
Furthermore, even if he was to whip tribal support from his Nandi sub tribe it is unlikely that he will garner more than 60 per cent of the vote as a section of the residents detest his perceived dictatorial style of leadership.
With the race now tilting in favour of Buzeki, Governor Mandago stares at the possibility of being a one-term governor.
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