Some of Kenya's outspoken former senators were resoundingly beaten during the 2017 general election.
Among those who lost during the poll were Boni Khalwale who declined to defend his Kakamega Senatorial seat and contested for the county's gubernatorial post.
He lost to incumbent Wycliffe Oparanya.
Others are Hassan Omar who also abandoned the idea of defending his seat (Mombasa County) and chose to challenge Governor Hassan Joho. He lost the poll he vied through the Wiper Party ticket.
Machakos' Johnston Muthama did not vie for any elective seat.
However, looking at the political power these three former Senate occupants wield, their chances of bouncing back to office stand high.
Since Oparanya is serving his final term in office, chances are high that Khalwale may use that opportunity to clinch the seat and become Kakamega's second governor. Khalwale is presently indirectly campaigning in the Western County.
Omar on the other hand has an up-hill task. He vied for the gubernatorial seat on August 8 last year on a Wiper party ticket although there were claims that he had been sponsored by Jubilee to divide opposition votes in the Coastal County.
His association alone with Jubilee may dent his image and repulse voters away from him. However, he stands a higher chance of winning the 2022 poll if he vies, but apparently after convincing the electorate that he no longer has any association with the ruling party. Mombasa is largely an opposition stronghold.
Muthama not only enjoys a huge following in Machakos County where he comes from but across the country. This gives him an advantage since he played an instrumental role in campaigning for opposition leader Raila Odinga and his deputy Kalonzo Musyoka in the run up to the August 8 general polls. He is also very close to opposition leader Raila Odinga.
The outspoken leader is a darling to many voters because of his hard-line politics. Besides, the former Senator is rich enough to fully fund his own campaigns to the tune of winning elections.
Nairobi's Johnson Sakaja is another man who could easily get his seat back. He has read the psychology of his people and knows what to comment about even if merely for political reasons. On several occasions he has openly differed with governor Sonko in what many say is a way to gain popularity. This has given him more support on the ground.