When he won the newly-created Jomvu MP seat in 2013, many thought that Badi Twalib was a passing cloud.
However, six years later, the soft-spoken lawmaker has emerged as a shrewd politician. And with the 2022 election just three years away, he could be scheming how to silence his rivals once again.
Badi who announced his arrival on the political stage with a convincing win in 2013 while vying on a Wiper party ticket is among the few politicians from the Coast region who survived the ODM party wave. As the political dynamics changed in 2017, he decamped to the orange party and easily defended his seat. However, his stay in the Raila Odinga-led party has not been short of drama.
As a group of politicians from the region rebelled against Raila while pledging their support for DP Ruto, Twalib emerged as a key cog of the pro-Ruto grouping. However, with the ground seemingly becoming hot for the group, the lawmaker has taken a low-political profile while 'avoiding' the DP.
Is it a new survival tactic?
Whatever happens in 2022 remains to be seen. But for the 45-year old lawmaker, his future is pegged on his next move on the political chessboard.
For now, he may be keen studying the political terrain ready for the bruising battle in 2022.