Bungoma gubernatorial aspirant Didmus Barasa has challenged the political class and leaders to take their leadership responsibility with utmost seriousness and leave the selling of hope to pastors.

Speaking during a visit to Mt Elgon on Saturday, November 29, 2025, Barasa called on leaders to desist from empty talks and focus on meaningful projects that impact the livelihoods of the people.

‘Don’t sell hope’

“We want to bring development close to the people. The old politics of selling hope to people must end here in Bungoma. The preachers and pastors are the only ones allowed to sell hope,” he stated.

“For us leaders who have the responsibility of leadership, we should focus on developmental projects such as the construction of roads and equipping our health facilities,” he added.

Shock many

The Kimilili MP further sent a caution to individuals he claimed were looking down on him in his quest to be the third governor of Bungoma.

Barasa promised to shock them by staying put and clinching the plum county seat.  “Those thinking that my lean figure cannot lead will be confounded. I will shock them by sending them home first thing in the morning,” he added.

In his bid for the gubernatorial position, Didmus faces a strong challenge from local politicians allied to the opposition in former Governor Wycliffe Wangamati and Zechariah Barasa.

His remarks come moments after he confessed that the by-election held in Chwele-Kabuchai had changed the political landscape of Bungoma County.

Hasty retreat?

Barasa, who was among the politicians in support of Ford Kenya’s Vincent Maunda, ironically made a political U-turn, stating that he would henceforth follow the people who are the real electors.

“From now onwards, what we saw in Chwele-Kabuchai shows that it’s the people who decide who to lead them and where to go; it’s the people who know,” he added.

The said by-election proved a shocker of sorts after Erick Wekesa, running on an independent ticket, defeated Moses Wetang’ula’s preferred candidate, Vincent Maunda of Ford Kenya, decisively.

Wekesa is said to have won convincingly, including in Wetang’ula’s own polling station, where the National Assembly speaker voted for his candidate.