Nyamira County Governor Amos Nyaribo has seen and survived all.
These include a frosty relationship with his late former County boss, John Nyagarama, and a series of groveling appearances before Senate Committees over graft queries.
Nature did not endow him with charisma.
Yet, somehow thrust him from the shadows of serving as deputy governor to the public limelight, setting the former banker on a journey to big politics.
Little is known much about his academics save a small detail that he has financial related skill.
Nyaribo has survived three impeachment attempts emerging bruised but still standing.
And as the polls beckon a year away, he would return from his first tour of duty as governor to seduce voters for another term in office- “to finish what he has started”, as most African politicians fondly put it every other time the electorate go to the ballot .
Analysts are projecting pitched battles ahead for him if he is to retain the seat
“He would definitely face a tougher battle, not with the impeachment of itchy County Assembly Ward Reps, but the restless electorate that is increasingly demanding tangible dividends of devolution”, says Eric Onsongo, a political analyst.
Kimwomi, as some call him, has had a tenure marked by persistent political turbulence, largely driven by frosty relations with Ward Reps at the County Assembly.
He has had to contend with impeachment bids revolving around allegations of abuse of office, mismanagement of county resources, and governance failures.
Each attempt collapsed either at the assembly level or during Senate proceedings, reinforcing his image as a political survivor with strong local backing.
Rigoma MCA Nyambega Gisesa, a key ally, however argues that the impeachment motions were ” less about accountability ” and more “about succession, power struggles and clan alignments ahead of the 2027 polls”.
Of the impeachments, the last was too close to call, nearly rendering jobless.
It drove him to build alliances with Kisii Governor Simba Arati, a Fred Matiangi turncoat, to survive.
Nyaribo was elected on the United Party Alliance, an outfit associated with Matiangi of Jubilee Party.
Arati has made his disdain for Matiangi’s bid for presidency known and has since joined forces with those preaching President William Ruto ‘s two term chorus in the region.
It is yet unclear if Nyaribo’s new found dalliance with Arati has changed the Nyamira Governor’s pro-Matiangi stance.
“Some decisions are informed by quick instincts to survive, let’s see if this one may stand the test of the time taking account that Matiangi enjoys robust grassroot support in the region,” weighed in Onsongo, also Kisii University don
Publicly, Nyaribo credits his election as governor to the former Interior Security Cabinet Secretary and on whose party, UPA, he is still chair.
In the raging Nyamira wars, Gisesa credits Nyaribo’s calm demeanor and wisdom for shielding his administration from collapse.
While the governor has managed to outmaneuver his opponents -through craftsmanship-the repeated impeachment sagas, however, appear to had slowed legislative business and disrupted service delivery, leaving scars that may haunt him as he prepares to hit the campaign trail for his second term.
Across Nyamira’s wards, voters are increasingly vocal about unmet expectations.
Farmers want better markets for tea, coffee, and bananas; youth are demanding jobs and enterprise funding; health workers and County staff continue to complain about delayed salaries and strained working conditions.
Infrastructure projects, though visible in some pockets, are unevenly distributed, feeding perceptions of exclusion in certain regions of the county.
A visit into the County offices reveals a disconnect between what should be functional political leadership and staff.
Discontent boils over, forcing staff to join forces with vindictive mobs that have been filing perpetual impeachment motions against Nyaribo.
Political analysts note that impeachment survival does not automatically translate into electoral strength.
“Impeachment tests institutional politics, but elections test public perception,” says Wilkins Ochoki, a Kisii-based lawyer.
Onsongo said the battle would be fierce in reclaiming the seat.
“Voters are likely to ask him whether he spent more time fighting for his survival than delivering services.”
Nyaribo’s allies continue to maintain that his administration has laid a firm foundation, citing investments in health facilities, road networks, and agricultural support programmes.
They argue that instability in the assembly was a deliberate attempt to derail development and that a second term would allow the governor to consolidate gains without constant political sabotage.
Still, the governor faces an increasingly crowded political field, with rivals positioning themselves as alternatives who can restore harmony between the executive and the assembly while accelerating development.
Some of his former allies have quietly drifted away, sensing vulnerability, while others are waiting to see how the political winds shift ahead of party primaries.
Among those waiting on the wings are James Kemoni, a consultant Engineer, Walter Chanua, Jerusha Mogaka and County Senator Okongo O’Mogeni, who has established himself as a perpetual critic.
O’Mogeni speaks of a “dysfunctional county where everything has ground to a halt”.
County Women Rep Jerusha Mogaka, buoyed by the successes by Gladys Wanga ( Homabay) is also positioning herself as heir apparent to the seat.
She would ,however , have to wriggle her way through politics of patronage that is prevalent in the country.
West Mugirango MP Joash Nyamoko and Chanua hail from the same clan as the governor sharing the vote base of the embattled governor and both may gamble.
Separately, engineer James Kemoni, continues to increasingly project himself as the man to “rescue Nyamira from years of missed opportunities and stalled development”.
He presents himself as a problem-solver in a county weighed down by p perennial complaints about poor leadership.
His public addresses are heavy with the language of efficiency, planning, and delivery—terms that resonate with voters fatigued by career politicians and unfulfilled promises.
In recent months, Kemoni has crisscrossed the county, engaging professional groups, church congregations, and youth forums.
His message is consistent: Nyamira does not lack resources, only leadership with the technical know-how and integrity to manage them.
This framing allows him to position himself as both an outsider to the political failures and an insider who understands how systems work
Chanua, boasts deep pockets and would have to put up a fight.
All said, however, Nyaribo still commands silent respect especially from among the populous Abagetutu clan that has considerable sway on who to be County boss.
As the country heads toward another election cycle, Governor Nyaribo’s campaign will likely rest on a delicate balance: projecting resilience and experience on one hand, while convincing voters that the political storms of his first term will not define the next five years.
Having survived three impeachment plots, the governor has proven his staying power.
Whether that resilience translates into renewed public trust — and a second term — remains the question Nyamira voters will soon answer during the 2027 poll.
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