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Civil servants who aspire to seek elective seats in next year’s election have until February 8, 2022 to resign from their positions.

They include Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, other top civil servants and parastatal chiefs.

About half of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s ministers, six PSs, 11 Chief Administrative Secretaries (CAS), a number of ambassadors, heads of commissions and parastatals and a top police officer have expressed interest in the presidential race, gubernatorial as well as parliamentary seats. 

Though he has not declared interest in the presidency, key politicians from his Gusii backyard and colleagues have been nudging Interior Cabinet Secretary to go for the big seat.

Former Police Spokesman Charles Owino has declared interest in the Siaya gubernatorial seat.

“I am 50 years old and I am allowed to retire from police service. I will ask the Police Service Commission and my boss in December to allow me go and contest the Siaya governor’s seat,” he said while announcing his bid, in February.

Cabinet Secretaries Peter Munya (Agriculture), James Macharia (Transport), Mutahi Kagwe (Health), Ukur Yatani (Treasury) Charles Keter (Energy), Eugene Wamalwa (Devolution), Samuel Chelugui (Labour) and Sicily Kariuki (Water) have been linked to governorship positions in their home counties.

However, Najib Balala (Tourism) is said to eyeing the Mombasa Senate seat while Keriako Tobiko (Environment) is planning to make stab as MP in Kajiado.

Munya and Yatani are said to be seeking to make a comeback as Meru and Marsabit governors respectively. “Munya is in the race. We will be in the campaigns. His ground is good.

When the right time comes, we will erect posters and just expect that he is going to make a comeback as Meru governor with ease,” East African Legislative Assembly Mpuru Aburi told People Daily.

Kagwe and Chelugui will be making a second stab in the Nyeri and Baringo gubernatorial seats having lost in 2017 while, Wamalwa, Macharia, Keter and Kariuki will be making their first stabs in the gubernatorial race in Trans Nzoia, Murang’a, Kericho and Nyandarua counties respectively.               

Interior PS Karanja Kibicho is said to seeking to unseat Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru, his Water counterpart Irungu Wairagu hopes to succeed Murang’a Governor Mwangi Wa Iria, Devolution PS Charles Sunkuli is targeting Narok governor seat while Labour’s Nelson Marwa is eyeing the Kuria West parliamentary seat. 

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CAS Gideon Mun’garo (Lands) want to succeed Amason Kingi in Kilifi, Interior’s Hussein Dado is planning to return to Tana River as county chief, Chris Obure (Infrastructure) wants to be Kisii governor, Hassan Noor (Sports) eyeing the Mandera gubernatorial position while Lina Chebii (Agriculture) is eying Elgeyo Marakwet governorship among others.

Meanwhile, Kenyans wishing to vote in the August 2022 polls have until three months to elections to register as voters, with the electoral agency planning to publish the Register of voters on May 2, 2022.

According to the polls body  Electoral Operations Plan, there is a continuous registration of voters before the register is subjected to the electorate to verify their details.