Kenyan politics has always been about the tribal numerical advantage one candidate holds against the other and Uasin Gishu county is not an exception on this.
With all the eyes now on the 2022 politics, the Uasin Gishu gubernatorial succession politics has already taken shape. So far high profile politicians have expressed interest to succeed governor Jackson Mandago who is currently serving his second and last term. They include billionaire businessman Zedekiah Kiprop Bundotich better known as Buzeki, Kenyan Ambassador to Pakistan Julius Bitock and Kapseret Member of Parliament Oscar Sudi.
Many more individuals will come out eyeing the seat ahead of the 2022 poll but the fact will remain that these two things will determine who becomes the second governor of Uasin Gishu.
Sub-tribe
Uasin Gishu county is mainly occupied by the Nandi, Marakwet and Keiyo subtribes of the Kalenjin community. There has been a perception that the Nandi sub-tribe has been bragging about how they have a say over the county leadership. They claim to have enough number to determine who will be the next county boss come 2022.
This can be confirmed by a recent utterance by Soy Member of Parliament Caleb Kositany who blatantly said, though while speaking in the mother tongue, that no one has to image clinching top seat of the county without consulting the Nandi community.
"I implore you as Kalenjins that we all belong to Uasin Gishu, with Nandis in the lead followed by others. Anyone who wants to be governor in Uasin Gishu should not disturb us until we Nandis decide. Let us keep our lanes when it comes to leadership. I plead with the people of Nandi, if Nandis have not spoken, no one should tell us where the seat should go,” said Kositany about two weeks ago during a funeral for the mother to governor Mandago at Kuinet in his constituency as quoted by the Standard.
Whether Kositany's utterances hold water or not, it remains a fact that a candidate with the full support of the Nandi community will have an upper hand in clinching the top seat in the county.
Elders decision
Ahead of the August 2017 elections, elders in Uasin Gishu arguably played a key role in helping Mandago retain his sit. This is after they came up with a sort of power-sharing formula that seemed to favour Mandago.
One of the elders who were part of those that came up with the formula, Major (Rtd) John Seii recently said there is a possibility they will come up with a new formula ahead of 2022.
Whatever the elders will decide it might have an impact on who becomes the next governor.
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