Sirisia Member of Parliament (MP) John Waluke has come out to endorse Kakamega County Woman Representative Elsie Muhanda for the county’s top seat in 2027.

While speaking in Lurambi on Friday, September 19, 2025, he defended Muhanda’s gubernatorial ambitions, stating that there is nothing wrong with a woman being elected to such a high-profile office.

He went further to slam the incumbent, Fernandez Barasa, who recently came out to criticise Cooperatives CS Wickliffe Oparanya after he endorsed Muhanda for the governor’s position, telling him to intensify his campaigns and be transparent with public resources. According to Waluke, he is not feeling threatened by Muhanda’s candidacy, since what will make him be re-elected will be based on his track record while in office.

“Na ukisema Mama Elsie ni Governor ya Kakamega, ubaya iko wapi? Na yeye akipinga si afanye siasa yake, aongeze bidii na awe transparent na pesa ya wananchi, na halafu aendelee, lakini akifanya vibaya mkisema Mama Elsie iko ubaya gani? Si anatosha. Nani anasema wanawake hawatoshi?” Waluke states.

Oparanya endorses Elsie

This comes days after Oparanya endorsed Elsie Muhanda as his preferred Kakamega gubernatorial candidate in 2027.

While unveiling her to the Kakamega electorate, he gave his personal experience with Muhanda, stating that she was first introduced to him by Ikolomani MP Bernard Shinali long ago while he was still serving as Minister for Planning in President Mwai Kibaki’s cabinet. Oparanya later appointed her as a commissioner in the Committee on Poverty Eradication.

After being elected as governor, Oparanya stated that he appointed Muhanda as the County Executive Committee (CEC) Member for Health. Later, when she shared her ambitions to contest for the Kakamega Woman Representative seat, he reassigned her to the trade docket that would have allowed her to traverse the whole county and engage directly with citizens.

“Wakati nilikuwa Waziri wa Mipango nilimweka kwa Poverty Eradication Committee kama commissioner; huyu Shinyali ndio alinijulisha kwa Elsie.”

Kakamega gubernatorial race

This move by Oparanya attracted backlash from other gubernatorial hopefuls from the county, such as the county senator Boni Khalwale, who has also declared his interest in the seat, telling Oparanya that they will not allow Oparanya to impose a leader on them just like he did to them in 2022.

The Kakamega gubernatorial race has attracted three contenders so far: Democracy for Citizens deputy party leader Cleophas Malala, the senator, and the governor, who will be defending his seat after having served his first term.