Race for Murang’a senate seat heats-up as six candidates declare interest
With 2022 polls fast approaching, candidates from Murang’a County senate seat have started laying ground for what is shaping up as a battle of titans.
While some candidates have already hit the ground running, others have deployed their foot soldiers with goodies to rally support from the electorate.
The seat has so far attracted seasoned politicians and top government officials, business men with one currently serving as a member of the County assembly as well as opinion makers in the County.
They include Kembi Gitura, Charles Mwangi (Ichagaki one), and Prof Kagwanja, Joe Nyutu, Peter Njagi, and Joseph Mbai among others.
However political scheming and strategizing has been dividing Murang'a county into the south and north factions.
The county boasts of 457,052 registered votes, with 284,950 in the south and 172,102 in the north side of Murang’a.
In the run-up to the 2013 elections, Murang'a leaders allegedly made a gentleman's agreement that Murang’a South (Maragua, Kandara, Gatanga, and Kigumo) would produce governor, while the senator would hail from the North (Kiharu, Kangema, and Mathioya).
The deputy governor and woman representative were to be elected from the South. However this agreement was rubbished and not honoured.
In 2013 the Governor, women Rep and the senator came from M,uranga North. The same happened would happen in 2017 as Murang’a North managed to have governor, Senator and Woman representative.
Murang’a South was left behind despite banking on the experienced Jamleck Kamau who lost to Mwangi Wairia during the Jubilee party nominations.
Leaders from the south have been quietly campaigning to change the notion in the coming elections.
According to an opinion poll released on Thursday by Mizani Africa, Charles Mwangi Ng’ang’a garnered more votes though he hasn't declared his senatorial candidature.
Voters have been pushing him to vie for either the Senate or the Parliamentary seat due to his governance experience and the fact that he is an enemy of corruption and does not stomach any shoddy transaction or dubious project which follows up to higher authority like the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission.
Political analysts describe him as the most educated MCA within the Jubilee administration from the Mount Kenya region.
He is an expert in governance and leadership, a holder of Bachelor of Science (BSc) Governance and Leadership, Masters of Science (MSc) Governance and Leadership, and another MSc in project management.
He is pursuing a Ph.D. in project management at JKUAT.
He comes from Murang’a south constituency that includes, Maragua, Kigumo, Gatanga, and Kandara.
A reliable source who has sought anonymity has told the writer that already a plan has been hatched from a section of leaders from North to downgrade vocal and an Intellectual MCA from winning Murang’a senator 2022 General Election.
The source hinted that plan is to seek a successor of Irungu Kang’ata from the North.one strategy hinted was by planting mole and spoiler at different constituency in muranga south, aiming to the division of voters. Kangata has declared interest to succeed Wairia.
“It's believed that competition Election for Murang’a senatorial seat will be between former senator Kembi Gitura and Ichagaki MCA Charles Mwangi Ng'ang'a AKA Ichagaki one, “He said.
Kembi Gitura is from Murang’a North.
During the recent poll by Mizani Africa, Kembi Gitura scored 15.1 % while Ichagaki one scored 8 percent.
Political analysts claim that the thin margin might change depending on the choice of the party that they will one seek to vie with.
Contacted for comment, Ichagaki said that the politics of succession shouldn’t be a factor by now as he’s currently serving his people at the Assembly.
He said that People from Murang’a have been pushing him to represent them at the senate since Kangata is eyeing the governor seat.
“I will make my decision soon and make it public but am ready to represent my people at the upper house and nothing will stop me, “he said.
Dr kihonge describes Ichagaki one as brave, An Educationist, and a person who listens and talks less.
During a past interview, Murang’a governor Mwangi Wa Iria described Ichagaki as the "most brilliant MCA".
“He consistently keeps knocking and lobbying for Ichagaki ward for development. He’s Honest and means well for the county, “he said.
Ichagaki believes "when county develops, we uplift the county standard of living, Improves Good Education, health, infrastructure and economic growth.
Last month, he was praised after he sourced funds and enrolled needy students in high school after they visited him at his office.
Last year, Charles Mwangi wrote to the county assembly clerk, instructing him to facilitate the donation of his salary to the COVID-19 board.
The MCA said the fight against the pandemic requires the concerted efforts of all Kenyans and that donating his salary is the only way he could make his contribution to saving lives. He believes in transformations
