Rift Valley region will attract more public attention in the upcoming 2022 general elections as more heated political contests are expected in the region.
With about three years to the elections, most politicians and opinion makers from the region have already declared their paths in national politics and majority of them have pledged to support Deputy President William Ruto in his quest for the presidency.
All politicians in Uasin Gishu have already made their decisions on whether they are part of the ‘Tanga Tanga ‘ or ‘Kieleweke ‘ factions and the silence of Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago has raised a lot of questions. Towards Jubilee Party preliminaries in 2017, Mandago had accused Ruto of sabotaging him in favour of Zedekiah Kiprop alias Buzeki who was Mandago’s main rival.
Unlike all the leaders in Uasin Gishu County, Mandago has remained politically neutral and has not been involved in any political movement in the Jubilee Party.
Ruto whose home village is in Sugoi, in Uasin Gishu County reconciled after Mandago won the Jubilee Party ticket in 2017 and many political observers expected Mandago to be vocal and be among the top ‘Tanga Tanga ‘ disciples.
As Mandago serves his last term in office, more eyes are directed at him as he is expected to announce his next political move and his stand on national politics more so, in regard Ruto’s 2022 presidential bid.