DNK International By Shitsili Kulabi,Kakamega.
A fierce battle for the Kakamega gubernatorial seat is shaping into a history of sorts as the 2027 General Election continues to draw nearer.
Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale and County MP Elsie Muhanda have declared their interest in the seat currently held by Governor Fernandes Barasa.
Political pundits and other leaders say that the elections will be historic as they could bring the political lifelines of some leaders in the devolved unit to a halt after losing out.
“There must be one winner among the three which means political careers of two will have come to a standstill,” said Fred Harrison Wesonga, a political analyst from the County.
Dr. Khalwale and Elsie have a mountain to climb because they both hail from the same Central bloc and one Constituency-Ikolomani.
On the other hand, Barasa comes from the Southern zone where he does not have a serious competitor as at now.
It is, thus,. assumed that he would retain the seat if all or majority of the voters in the bloc cast their ballots for him while his opponents divide those from their zone.
There are, thus, spirited efforts to have one of them step down for the other. The efforts are, however, being resisted by forces allied to either sides.
Khalwale accused Muhanda of being used by some forces to divide votes to the advantage of Barasa but she denies.
“I am my own woman and I am the one who will defeat that Barasa very early in the morning. Khalwale cannot manage that,” she told DNK-International this afternoon.
Her allies echoed the sentiments saying it was only “senje wa bana” (aunt of children), as they fondly call her, who has the capacity to defeat Barasa.
“Senje has performed very well since the days she joined the county government of First Governor Wycliffe Ambetsa Oparanya as a CEC,” said a former MCA Bernard Lukulu.
“She has also done very well as our Woman Representative for the past ten years. She is, thus, experienced enough to take over as Governor,” he added.
But Khalwale dismissed the sentiments saying he was the one capable of sending Barasa home owing to his 25 years experience in politics.
“I have been around and in elective politics for the past 25 years which I started as the MP for Ikolomani. My track record speaks for itself and I am the one who will beat Barasa hands-down,” he told DNK-International today.
His allies equally weighed in and expressed confidence that he would clinch the seat.
“Both Khalwale and Elsie are our own but the Senator is the older sibling and, thus, deserves to occupy that office first,” said Moses Kulabi, a former councillor.
Barasa and Muhanda are both seeking the ODM party ticket and support President William Ruto’s re-election while Khalwale has been playing hot and cold even after clinching the Senate seat in 2022 on the UDA ticket
[DNK-International@June 17,2026]
