Senate Speaker Kenneth Lusaka is seeking to reclaim the Bungoma Governor seat on a Ford Kenya party ticket in the August General Election, Kahawa Tungu can authoritatively report.
Our news desk has established that Lusaka is set to launch his gubernatorial bid next Friday, March 11, 2022.
The first governor of Bungoma lost the seat to Wycliffe Wangamati in the 2017 polls.
Already, plans are in top gear to unveil Lusaka as the Ford Kenya candidate in an event set to be held at the Bungoma Posta grounds.
The former county boss, who contested for the seat on a Jubilee ticket in 2017, has since defected from the ruling party and registered as a member of the Ford Kenya party.
Moses Wetangula’s Ford Kenya is one of the partner parties in the Kenya Kwanza alliance that comprises Deputy President William Ruto-led United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and Musalia Mudavadi’s Amani National Congress (ANC).
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He will battle it out with Wangamati who recently joined the newly launched Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K) that is affiliated with Raila Odinga’s Azimio la Umoja Movement.
Speaking to a local daily in a phone interview from Turkey, where he is on official duty, Lusaka confirmed that he is firmly in the race.
“The question of whether I am in the race or not doesn’t arise any longer. I am firmly in the race with one option of winning,” he said told Nation.
“I will be having an earthquake in Bungoma town next week on Friday where I will be announcing the party that I will be vying on. But you all know that I have been working well with our senator[Wetangula].”
Lusaka has already established a campaign centre in Bungoma town, complete with staff members, as part of efforts to stamp authority in the county ahead of the polls.
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In the Friday rally, Lusaka is scheduled to kick off his campaigns with prayers at his home in Mapera, Kimilili constituency, before making stopovers on his way to Bungoma town.
Kabuchai MP Majimbo Kalasinga who is the chairman of the planned rally has urged locals to turn up in large numbers to welcome Lusaka home.
“The Senate Speaker is now a full member of Ford Kenya and we shall be unveiling him as our governor candidate in a big rally on (March 11) at the Bungoma Posta grounds,” the MP said.
He added, “We are asking Bungoma people to turn up in large numbers and receive Mr Lusaka, who is going to be our next governor.”
Yesterday, Lusaka’s bid for the top county job received a shot in the arm after 35 Bungoma Members of County Assembly (MCAs) endorsed him for the seat.
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Led by county assembly Majority Leader Joseph Nyongesa, the ward reps promised to campaign for the speaker and send Wangamati home.
“We know he is a leader who means well for the community and therefore as members of the assembly we have thrown our weight behind his bid,” said Nyongesa.
“We are going to walk in all the 45 wards in the county campaigning for him as currently he is busy on national duties.”
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