Kakamega Senate race tightens as UDA favourite Kevin Mahelo enters ring

The political landscape of the Kakamega County Senatorial race has started taking shape ahead of next year’s General Election with several aspirants declaring interest in the seat.

With the current Senator Boni Khwalwale announcing that he will be going for the area’s gubernatorial seat, the race to replace him has gained momentum with several aspirants showing interest to replace him.

The latest to join the fray is the current Butali/Chegulo Ward Member of the County Assembly (MCA) Kevin Inzofu Mahelo whose entry has changed the political matrix of other candidates, some who were favoured to win the seat.

A bruising battle looms as each candidate now goes back to the drawing board to strategize on the best way to endear themselves to the over 800, 000 voters.

Its worthy noting that the county receives billions of shillings in devolved funds hence the scramble by leaders to get the seat to enable the control the utilization of the money.

Khalwale will be giving a second stab to become the area’s Governor after being floored by the county first governor Wycliffe Ambetsa Oparanya in the 2017 elections.

However, the entrance of Mahelo does not seat well with Brian Lishenga’s aspirations as it is likely to eat into the Northern part of county votes where Mahelo hails from.

Lishenga, the Rural Urban Private Hospitals Authority (RUPHA) boss had been viewed as a frontrunner to capture to seat but the coming of Mahelo may jolt his ambitions as the latter will eat a chunk of votes in Malava, Lugari and Likuyani constituencies that make up the county.

Mahelo is also banking on the Gen-z vote as he falls within that age bracket.

Kakamega County has 12 constituencies that comprise of Malava, Lugari, Likuyani, Shinyalu, Ikolomani, Lurambi, Navakholo, Mumias East, Mumias West, Butere, Kwhisero and Matungu that have varied registered number of voters.

Malava constituency from where Mahelo hails from leads with the highest number of registered voters that stands at 94, 417 followed closely by Lurambi that has 89, 627 voters and Lugari with 86, 908 voters as per the 2022 Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) voter register.

The northern part of the county that comprise Malava, Lugari and Likuyani has a total of 243, 559 registered voters as per the 2022 IEBC voter register making the area a fertile for vote hunting.

Mahelo will be banking in his vast political experience having served his area as an MCA for two terms.

Mahelo who went into the County Assembly on a United Democratic Alliance(UDA) ticket boasts of a solid track record in oversight, representation and legislation.

Reports suggests that he might give Lishenga a run for his money in the race for the seat as he is likely to get huge funding to run his campaign from president William Ruto as the UDA party leader.

But Lishenga who came second to Khalwale in the 2022 Senate seat race is banking on his call for better health care for the locals.

He has been giving the government sleepless nights with his constant calls for betterment of the operation of Social Health Authority (SHA).

The medic has been vocal about health matters and says he would ensure SHA works efficiently if elected.

Also said to be eying the seat is former area Governor Oparanya and Senator Cleophas Malala but they are yet to come out openly over the issue.

The two will complicate matters in the area bearing in mind their political experience should they declare to go seat.

Oparanya is touted to have done a splendid job while in office that saw the installation of key development projects in the area.

Also positioning themselves for the seat is former general manager of the moribund West Kenya Out-growers Company (WEKO) Harrison Tanga Webo and youthful politician Enos Chisiangani.

Webo who will battle with Mahelo for the UDA ticked says if elected, he will revitalize the sugar sector by championing Bills in the senate that specifically targets the interested sugarcane farmers and small-scale traders who he says form the backbone of the county’s economy.

Webo promises to strictly hold the County Executive to accountability to ensure devolved funds sent the area by the national treasury is well utilized.