The upcoming 2022 Kericho gubernatorial elections are shaping up to be one of the most hotly contested races in the county.
Kericho Governor Paul Chepkwony is remaining with only three years in office and will not be defending his seat in 2022 as per the constitutional restrictions.
The county is home to Energy Cabinet Secretary Charles Keter who served as a senator before his appointment to the cabinet in 2015. Speculation is rife that Keter will be vying for the gubernatorial seat in 2022.
Senator Aaron Cheruiyot who seems to be enjoying the support of the majority of the youth in the county will also be on a mission to succeed Chepkwony if his recent moves and political manoeuvres are anything to go by.
Cheruiyot is currently touring different parts of the county in the name of inspecting county government’s projects, a move which political pundits have termed as early preparations for the 2022 gubernatorial race.
Judging by the strategies being put in place by different politicians, the county is set to experience one of the hottest political contests in 2022, and the race will be no walk in the park.
Governor Chepkwony recently appointed South Rift veteran politician Magerer Langat to the Kericho Municipal Board and the two have been appearing in public together. A section of opinion makers in Kericho has argued that Chepkwony is planning to endorse the former Kipkelion legislator as his preferred successor.
National Security Social Fund (NSSF) boss and millionaire Richard Langat popularly known as RK and former Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) board member Fred Kirui who both lost to Chepkwony during the Jubilee party preliminaries in 2017 are expected to try their luck in 2022.
However, their entry into the race is likely to divide the votes, a move which will definitely spoil the race for Keter and Cheruiyot.
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