Your Malava votes are safe, Governor Barasa assured

As the 2027 General Election draws closer, residents of Kakamega have every reason to re-elect their governor, Fernandez Barasa, following his undisputed development record, with much emphasis being placed on project completion rather than empty rhetoric.

It is worth noting that, since his election as Kakamega’s second governor, Barasa, who vied on a UDA ticket, garnered 192,929 votes (54.74 per cent) to be declared the winner.

In the 2022 Malava Constituency election, data shows that the constituency had 94,417 registered voters across 198 polling stations, with Fernandez Barasa securing 11,000 votes.

The 2022 polls were a litmus test of what the outcome of the 2027 election could be, as Barasa, who has been working around the clock to win the trust and attention of Malava voters, appears to have resonated well with residents on matters of development.

His win in Malava was, however, initiated and propelled by the then outspoken and ambitious Sauti Ya Malava crusader, Lawrence Toli Mukoyani, whom many describe as an organic and inspirational young leader who is charismatic and forceful in his approach to achieving his goals.

It was through this combination that Toli took Barasa’s campaigns to the grassroots, even during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the then aspiring governor, through his youthful and vocal campaigner Mukoyani, reached out to the masses by offering sanitiser and foodstuffs while simultaneously campaigning for his election as governor.

With Mukoyani’s persistent drumbeat of support for Barasa as the incoming governor in 2022, the sub-county responded to his calls to vote for the new governor. The more than 11,000 votes he secured helped propel him to become the Kakamega County governor, who is now seeking a second term.

With both Lawrence Mukoyani and Joseph Bushuru now in the county government and regularly advocating for Barasa’s re-election, especially in Malava, the masses have shifted their allegiance to him, considering that he has initiated several key projects in the largest sub-county. This has led Malava MP David Ndakwa to declare that Malava is now officially Barasa’s bedroom.

Barasa has been in Malava campaigning for the now MP, and his campaign machinery saw Ndakwa emerge as the winner in the just-concluded Malava by-election.

According to Toli Mukoyani, who doubles as the Chief Officer for Youth, Sports and Library Services in the Kakamega County Government, Malava has gained significantly under Barasa’s regime. Statistics, he said, indicate that the governor could command an enormous voting bloc of more than 50,000 votes, as his ODM party, where he serves as county chairman, has a massive following in the sub-county.

It is also evident that the new pact between UDA and ODM has played to his advantage, as he will enjoy support from the two factions.

Toli has also secured the support of women who were behind Seth Panyako and delivered them to the governor’s basket ahead of the 2027 polls.

Meanwhile, Jacob Bushuru has been sweet-talking boda boda riders, urging them to rise to the occasion and ensure that the governor is re-elected for a second term.

With the two campaign machineries now empowered and in office, Barasa’s votes in Malava are considered secure, with the number increasing day by day.

In Malava Sub-County, the governor has left an impressive track record that could boost his chances of securing an automatic second term in office after taking over several stalled projects that had been initiated by the previous regime but stalled due to financial constraints.

The Malava Milk Plant in Malava Sub-County stalled for some time due to the transition of county leadership from Wycliffe Oparanya to Fernandez Barasa. However, work on the KSh150 million project has resumed, with its grand opening set for December.

The contractor is back on site, and once completed, the plant is expected to create more than 500 direct job opportunities, with its chairman, Francis Murambi, being a son of the soil.

The dairy project has already seen milk cooler sites established across the area, while dairy animals have been distributed to farmers across the sub-county, thereby expanding the dairy market for farmers.

Other notable projects within Malava include the Manda-Shivanga Bridge, Manda Market, Sheywe Bridge in Shirugu-Mugai Ward, the Smart Farm in Chemuche Ward, Musingu I and II box culverts, the Kakunga stock ring in East Kabras, Tombo and Shivikhwa ECDE centres, the Kuvasali Water Project, and the Malava Urban Water Project situated at the sub-county headquarters, which is set to benefit 10,000 households.

Road works, including the Tumbeni Road from murram to bitumen, as well as five- and 10-kilometre road maintenance projects in each ward, have also been completed.

The recent KSh50 million facelift of Malava Level 4 Hospital, in which the governor has been actively involved, is another milestone expected to strengthen his support base in the area.

Perhaps to crown it all is the granting of a municipality charter to Malava Sub-County, with funds already set aside for its operationalisation.

Beyond Malava, the Kakamega County Aggregation and Industrial Park in Likuyani Sub-County, at a cost of KSh153 million, is another major project. The Lugari Maize Mill has created more than 1,000 job opportunities, while the Matawa Regen Organic Fertiliser Factory in Mumias West is expected to provide direct employment to more than 1,000 people.

The Butere Poultry Hatchery is also being expanded, with a projected capacity to employ 10,215 workers and hatch 10,000 eggs daily. The revitalised Lutonyi Fish Factory, meanwhile, has been rated as the best fish factory in the country, with a processing capacity of 15,000 tonnes of fish per day.

In Shinyalu Sub-County, the Madala Tea Factory is expected to create 600 jobs.

Ongoing works at Bukhungu Stadium are also progressing, with the county government collaborating with the national government. The county has completed Phases 2 and 3, while the national government is completing Phase 4 ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) games, for which Bukhungu has been earmarked as one of the stadiums to be used.

The Kakamega Teaching and Referral Level 6 Hospital is another major milestone for residents. The national government has taken over its completion, which will provide a major boost to healthcare services and offer relief to patients who have been travelling all the way to Eldoret to access similar services.

In Ikolomani, work is already under way on the KSh5.8 billion Iguhu Gold Refinery, with significant job creation and royalty payments expected from the project.