Munira Mandano

Key politicians in Kwale County have sent signals they will fight for Deputy President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ticket in the 2022 General-Election.  

Ruto has for the past five days pitched tent at the Coast rallying support for his presidential bid from one of the regions expected to provide swing votes. 

Two candidates have so far declared they will fight for the governorship using the party, three for the Senate, Woman Representative (five) while 16 others will fight for National Assembly seats.

 Each of the aspirants are optimistic they will win in the nominations to fly the UDA ticket against opponents from other parties.

The latest of the candidates is Deputy governor Fatuma Achani who his battling to succeed governor Salim Mvurya in 2022. 

“I have settled on the UDA party and I will vie for the gubernatorial seat via the ticket and my president will be William Ruto,” she said.

 Achani will face off with Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) engineer Lung’anzi Chai in the party primaries.

Party primaries

 Lung’anzi is sure to grab the party ticket come the party primaries saying he commands strong grassroot support.  

“I know I will win the UDA governorship ticket in Kwale county and come 2022 during the General Election, I will deliver the seat against all my opponents,” he said.

 Achani’s move is a big relief for Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) candidates. The deputy governor had initially sent strong signals she will run on the Orange party after a meeting with  Opposition chief Raila Odinga.

Agriculture Principal Secretary Hamadi Boga’s camp is said to have been thrown into confusion after Achani’s meeting with Raila. Boga intends to vie for the governorship on Orange party ticket.

 “Even Prof had to plan for a meeting with Raila in Nairobi so that he could know his stand.

But now that Achani has gone back to UDA we are relieved because she would have given us headache during the primaries,” said the source.

 Speaking to People Daily,  Mwanaisha Chidzuga, who aspires to run for the Matuga constituency seat said will also face her four opponents during the party primaries.

 “It’s going to be tough in the party primaries with four men being the only woman but I believe I will win the ticket,” Chidzuga said.

Chidzuga will face off  with Kwale county minister for Gender and Sports Ramadhan Bungale, Mwalimu Kitambi Digore, Suleiman Koti and Salim Vyongo.

 In Msambweni Constituency current MP Feisal Bader will also face it off in the party nominations with Bashir Kilalo and Peter Nzuki.

 The DP has on various occasions stressed that the party will hold free, fair, credible and transparent nominations.

This has given strong hope to political aspirants who feel they have lost in the past contests unfairly.

Most say they do not mind going to the party primaries and compete among themselves on issues, development track-record and ideologies that will better people’s lives. They claim they do not mind losing, but fairly in the party primaries.

 “We will not shift camps. We will instead support those who will win in the various seats,” said Nimusimu Mwasina,  a woman representative hopeful in Kwale.

 Nimusimu will face Bibi Masha, Zeinab Chitsangi, Zuhura Mwamzandi and Stella Mutinda.

 Recently, Ruto said it will be a win-win contest as those who lose in the party nominations will be considered for other positions, including being nominated.

 “Nobody will loose. For those aspirants who will not succeed to grab the party ticket just support the one who has emerged the winner and you will be considered in other positions,” Ruto said.