Battle for Kakamega gubernatorial seat has taken centre-stage during this week’s tour of western Kenya by President William Ruto, which saw County woman MP Elsie Muhanda and sitting Governor Fernandez Barasa toughing it out.

In a bare-knuckled attack, Ms Muhanda hilariously accused Governor Barasa of being henpecked and surrendering his authority to his spouse, Prof Janet Nasambu Kassilly Barasa – a lecturer at Masinde Muliro University. 

The Woman MP, backed by some ODM MPs from Kakamega County has for over a year now been traversing the sprawling administrative-cum-political unit canvassing for support in preparation for 2027 general election.

She upped the ante after her party entered an arrangement in which a few seats held by the president’s United Democratic Alliance party in government were ceded to the ODM, which gave birth to an amorphous “broad-based government.”

Muhanda has declared interest to in dethroning Barasa in slugfest that has attracted Prof Sylvester Anami of Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and sitting Kakamega Senator Bonni Khalwale.  

“I am not afraid of you and even if you try to intimidate me with gangs and political sabotage, I will not back down as it is the people of Kakamega who are pushing me and have fully thrown their weight behind my leadership skills as their most preferred and sure governor come 2027” he bragged.

Barasa is fending off allegations of surrendering his office to his spouse, who has a reputation chasing away female visitors to the governor’s office, according to Muhanda.

Speaking at various stops when she accompanied President Ruto on a tour of the county, Ms Muhanda openly told off Governor Fernandez Barasa that she is ready to take over the mantle of leadership of the county whose rapid economic and social development began stalling when he came into office.

 “Barasa let me tell you if you’re a man enough and sure of your development record why are you always carrying hired goons to your functions to jeer and harass your political opponents? It is very clear that the ground has shifted and you have fallen out of favour with the electorate and it is time for the Kakamega voters to make a new decision and that decision is me,” she said amid thunderous applause.

She stated that the current county leadership has failed as many projects remain incomplete contrary to his manifesto and promises he made when he was campaigning for office.

“Let Barasa know that despite me being a woman, he will not bundle me out of the gubernatorial race. Lest he forgets, I have been in the county since 2013 and I know each and every corner very well unlike him who has failed to resonate with many leaders let alone the electorates,” she told him.

However, the gubernatorial aspirant will have to reconsider her association with President Ruto. During a stopover at Malava Township, Muhanda was heckled when she was given a chance to address the audience. President Ruto’s star in Kakamga has been dimming owing to false promises during his frequent tours of western Kenya.

The outspoken woman representative who has cut a niche for herself as ‘Senje wa Vana’ (Children’s Auntie) in reference to her initiative that has seen hundreds of young mothers return to school, rubbished the governor’s mafia-style leadership, accusing him of redirecting county funds meant for development to funding goons and thuggery to scare harass and intimidate opponents and electorate.

“While your fellow governors like the one of Kiambu has constructed at least 500 (ECDE) classrooms for their learners, you have hardly put up 10 and most health facilities have no drugs to treat patients as you are so afraid of your political opponents hence you are forced to hire crowds and goons to cheer you up at your county functions to portray that you’re on course in matters development but your days of reckoning are nearing as I’m coming for you and I will clinch that seat from you through the ballot” she assured him.   

She accused Barasa of having done very little as far as county development blueprint is concerned as he is busy politicking and bribing voters to secure his second term instead of working for the people of Kakamega who elected him to be their governor.

“For your information I am the Kakamega people’s choice for the seat as I have the capacity and zeal to serve the Kakamega residents,” she said.

Muhanda pointed out that the incumbent has failed to initiate necessary and crucial development across the county and should be not re-elected as governor at all. The calls for the Barasa ousting comes in just after a group of a group of members of the county assembly G8 political groping launched scathing criticism against Governor Fernandez Barasa, accusing him of failing to deliver on his mandate.

The MCAs who attended a church service at Musoli Catholic Church, the leaders claimed the county boss has not initiated meaningful development projects and has fallen short of fulfilling promises made to residents.

The MCAs who also included Ikolomani MP Bernard Shinali, announced their support for Muhanda’s bid to unseat Governor Barasa in the 2027 general election terming her leadrship0skills as superb and up to the task. The legislators oozed confidence that her leadership would accelerate development and improve service delivery across the county.

• A Tell Media report / By Isaiah Wakhungu Andanje