Five months to polls, the race for Mathira constituency seat has gained momentum after a 77-year-old businesswoman declared her candidature.

Speaking to the press, Phylis Cristabel Wambura Maranga who came second in the 2017 race said that she made the decision to seek the seat following pressure from her supporters to unseat the current Member of Parliament Rigathi Gachagua .

“Although I have been away for five years, I have listened to the vibrant calls from the Mathira people who have been pressing me to come back. I now declare that I’m firmly in the race,” Wamaranga said.

Wamaranga who is a lay leader at the Anglican Church announced her candidature to worshipers of Emmanuel ACK Church in Karatina after delivering the Sunday service sermon.

She however did not announce the party she is going to use at the moment, but she promised to announce soon.

“After many people came looking for me, urging me to vie for the Mathira Parliamentary seat, I told them to wait for the parliament to be dissolved but now that the campaigns are in full gear, I think it is the right time to announce my candidature,” she said.

During the 2017 polls, Wamaranga gave Gachagua a run for his money coming second during Jubilee party primaries.

Among other candidates who are vying for the seat are Waruru Gikandi and former MP Peter Weru.