Listen to This Article Enhance your reading experience by listening to this article.

Alexander Mundigi, a 56-year-old politician in Embu County has made history after flooring political heavyweights to clinch the senatorial seat on Democratic Party (DP) ticket.

Mundigi who hails from Mayori in Mbeere South is not well connected or much educated as it has been the case with other candidates seeking the position.

Although not his first attempt to vie for the Embu senatorial seat, Mundigi beat 12 other contestants to emerge victorious.

The 12 candidates included outgoing Embu governor Martin Wambora, former Kamukunji MP Norman Nyaga, outgoing senator Njeru Ndwiga, Embu deputy governor David Kariuki, former public service PS Lillian Mbogo Omollo and Embu ODM chairman Moses Wamuruu.

His entry in politics started 2007 when he vied for Mbeere South MP seat on Democratic Party but unfortunately lost to Rev. Mutava Musyimi.

In June 2008 after losing the election he went back to KenGen where he worked until 2016 when he resigned to contest the Embu Senatorial seat as an independent candidate but lost to Ndwiga who rode on the Jubilee euphoria that swept Mt Kenya region under President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Like any politician who would not wish to lose ground, Mundigi decided to invest his loyalty to his supporters through church harambees, and social events like weddings, dowry payments, hospital bills and other events to keep his supporters close to him.

His style of leadership saw him attend about 20 social events, a move that left him earning the sobriquet “Kava Mundigi Twonaga,” a Kiembu saying meaning “Better Mundigi we see”.

During his campaigns, Mundigi had no posters like his opponents in Embu County due to what he termed as lack of resources.

He also had no agents at the polling stations and only relied on the well-wishers to secure his votes. So bad was the situation was that his car was branded by a well-wisher.

‘’I only trusted the process and people of goodwill to man my votes, I could not afford paying the agents,” said Mundigi after receiving his certificate at Kangaru Girls School, the Embu County tallying centre.

No posters

Speaking to the press two months before elections were held on why he had not erected posters, Mundigi said for the last five years he had spent all the money on social events that supporters invited him.

“I can’t go far than where I am my hope is that God will see me through the two months remaining to election, I have run out of cash when campaigns are at the pick, I depend on lifts attending socials events and sometimes I travel by matatu,” said Mundigi.

Following his election, Mundigi promised to work closely with the people to ensure issues that have been thorny to the locals are addressed.

He disclosed that he had made an agreement with the church to unite the county leadership so that development can be realized across the county.

‘’I will ensure Embu is united like never before. The outgoing senator went to Nairobi and forgot his people in Embu. I will never do that but have assured my people that I will make sure our hospitals have medicine at all times,” said Mundigi. His closeness to the locals has been described as the reason behind his win.

“This man can travel from far Mbeere to far Runyenjes to contribute Sh500 to an event, he believes his presence is more important than sending his contributions through MPesa, that is why people baptized him ,”Kava Mundigi Twonaga”( Better Mundigi we see),”said Stella Gichovi a resident of Kega in Runyenjes. Mundigi garnered 81,162 votes against his close competitor David Kariuki who got 5,965 votes.

Outgoing Embu governor who was seeking Embu senate seat came fifth in the race after garnering only 13,523 votes, Nyaga got 9,387 votes, Ms Mbogo got 22,851 votes with the Embu ODM chairman Moses Wamuruu only banking 2,074 votes.