The 2017 general elections saw Nandi County make history by electing the youngest governor in Kenya.
Stephen Sang took over from Cleophas Lagat who served for only one term. However, with only two years in office, Sang’s tenure has been marred by several challenges and it now appears like the governor might not be the 'Joshua' Nandi residents hoped for.
The next general election is fast approaching and already those who are interested in the county's top seat are crisscrossing the interior parts of the devolved unit in efforts to woo voters ahead of the much-anticipated polls.
The youthful lawyer will have an uphill task defending his seat in the next polls due to various reasons.
Several corruption cases have been reported in the county and Sang's administration cannot account for millions of shillings of public funds. Although the governor has taken action by suspending county officials who have been implicated in the graft scandals, his rivals will still use the corruption cases as a campaign tool against him.
The entry of Rift Valley veteran politician Henry Kosgei’s son into Nandi County politics will be another unfavourable factor for Governor Sang. Allan Kosgei has been camping in Nandi County since he lost his bid for the Kesses Parliamentary seat in 2017. His moves within and without the county are clear indications that he will be a force to reckon with in 2022.
Firebrand Senator Samson Cherargei has also been reported to be eying the gubernatorial seat and his presence in the race will make it a gruelling battle.