The western region is one of the regions rich of votes due to its population.
Apart from Nairobi County, Kakamega County is the densely populated county in Kenya with over a million people and close to nine hundred thousand registered voters.
Besides, other western regions like Bungoma and Vihiga combined, have almost a million registered voters.
Hence one can have an easy ride to statehouse if they manage to comfortably put the western votes in one basket.
With the deputy president seemingly eying the country’s top seat in 2022, he has gradually commenced raiding western region in what political pundits describe as an attempt to woe the western electorate to rally behind his presidential ambitions.
Former Kakamega Senator Dr. Bony Khalwale has openly declared his support for Ruto and almost every weekend he traverses the western region lobbying for the DP’s support.
Despite losing Kakamega gubernatorial race to Wycliffe Oparanya, Dr.Khalwale has commendable supporters and political influence in the western region thus the DP has chosen him as his point man to put the western votes in one drum ahead of the 2022 race to the Statehouse.
Sports CS Rashid Echesa is also a close confidante of the DP and his continued loyalty to him is a huge plus for team Ruto.
This is because of his ability to influence and convince the youth who compose the big percentage of the western region’s registered voters.
Mumias East Member of Parliament Benard Washiali who doubles up as the national assembly chief whip is a close ally of the DP and has also declared his support for the DP.
Washiali posses an influential ability that can convince voters to follow his footsteps, especially in his home turf.
A good number of legislators from the western region including Emmanuel Wangwe(Navakholo), Dismas Barasa(Kimilili), John Waluke(Sirisia), Dan Wanyama(Webuye West), Malulu Injendi(Malava), among others are already occupying the same political matrix as the DP.
That is why I opine that if the political context remains as it is, chances are that the DP is likely to garner a big percentage of the western votes putting into context that the electorate from western counties seldom cast their votes in one basket as history dictates.