Pepela ditches Tim Wanyonyi camp amid political alliances shift in Bungoma

 Webuye East MP Martin Pepela endorses Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa for the Bungoma gubernatorial seat ahead of the 2027 General Election. [Courtesy]

Political alliances in Bungoma are beginning to shift as the race to succeed Governor Kenneth Lusaka gains momentum, with Webuye East MP Martin Pepela becoming the latest leader to change camp.

Pepela has withdrawn his support from Westlands MP Tim Wanyonyi and endorsed Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa  for the Bungoma gubernatorial seat ahead of the 2027 General Election.

The move comes as aspirants seek to build political alliances across the county, with party nominations and negotiations still ahead.

Pepela announced his support for Barasa during the launch of two classrooms at Webuye PAG Primary School, where he described the Kimilili MP as a development-oriented leader.

“Didmus Barasa is a development-oriented leader. We should allow him to serve Bungoma as governor because he has demonstrated that he understands the needs of our people,” Pepela said.

He cited Barasa's proposal to construct Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) centres across the county as one of the issues behind his decision.

“My colleague Didmus Barasa has a plan to construct ECDE centres and this is the kind of leadership Bungoma needs. We need leaders who can identify challenges facing our people and come up with practical solutions,” Pepela said.

Pepela's departure from Wanyonyi's camp adds to the changes in political alignments around the gubernatorial contest. Several leaders who had initially backed Wanyonyi have also taken different positions as aspirants seek to establish their support ahead of the election.

Wanyonyi is among the top contenders seeking to succeed Lusaka, while Barasa has also been campaigning for the seat.

Pepela said he would support Barasa and work with other leaders ahead of the election.

“Didmus has shown that he is ready to take the responsibility of leading Bungoma. I support his bid and will work with other leaders to ensure that our people make an informed decision in 2027,” he said.

The movement between the political camps comes before parties settle on their candidates, meaning the current alignments could change further as the election approaches.

Ford Kenya's position will be particularly important in the contest given its political presence in Bungoma and the involvement of some of its leaders in the race.

Barasa has been engaging local leaders and groups as he seeks support for his candidature, while Wanyonyi has also been building political networks in the county.

The contest is expected to attract further realignments as aspirants negotiate alliances and seek backing across Bungoma's constituencies.

Pepela's move therefore reflects the fluid nature of the gubernatorial race, with political loyalties being tested well before the formal nomination process begins.