Budalang’i MP Ababu Namwamba’s Labour Party of Kenya has unveiled the first candidates who will vie for parliamentary and Senatorial positions in 2017.
The former ODM secretary general on Friday said Esther Kondo, who was elected LPK’s deputy party leader will vie for the Rabai MP seat while David Majali who clinched the Secretary General position will contest for the Bungoma Senatorial position.
LPK was relaunched on Wednesday in Karen, Nairobi and Kondo and Majali were among officials elected to the party’s executive positions.
“Congratulations to Esther Kondo and David Majali for ascending to the eminent positions of deputy party leader and secretary general respectively,” Ababu said.
“Esther is in the race for the Rabai Parliamentary seat in Kilifi County while David will be seeking to represent the people of Bungoma County in the Senate. Let’s do it.”
Kondo is expected to tussle it out with incumbent William Kamoti (ODM) while Majali will be trying out his luck again having contested for the same position during the Bungoma Senatorial byelection in December 2013 and lost to Cord co-principal Moses Wetangula.
Before the contest, Majali worked as a consultant at the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.
During the byelection, he was trounced after garnering 2,155 votes against Wetangula's 149,458 and Musikari Kombo's 81,016.
Ababu said LPK will be unveiling more candidates for various political positions in 2017.
He said the party foreshadows at fielding candidates for all elective positions across the country.
The LPK touted as the ‘Third Force’ is among political outfits in the country alongside the two giants Jubilee and Cord, which currently dominate the political field.
Kondo and Majali will face tight competition in their quest to win votes since Kilifi and Bungoma are perceived Cord strongholds.
Kilifi County is headed by Governor Amason Kingi who has remained one of the most loyal politicians to ODM, Cord and ODM leader Raila Odinga while Wetangula still commands support in Bungoma despite Governor Kenneth Lusaka’s announcement that he would work with Jubilee ahead of 2017.