Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua has declared he will contest for the presidency in 2022 general elections.
The Maendeleo Chap Chap Party leader says he is fit to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Mutua maintains that he has the political muscles and energy to wrestle out with others who are eyeing the seat in the 2022 polls.
The Machakos boss has on several occasions said he will not step down or become anyone's running matein the elections.deputy in the 2022 general election.
As Mutua strategizes on his 2022 bid, here are some of the people who could possibly be his running mates in 2022:
1. Emily Mbura - She was a nominated Jubilee senator in the last Parliament. She ditched President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee Party and joined Governor Alfred Mutua’s Maendeleo Chap Chap Party in the run up to last year’s general election. Mbura unsuccessfully contested for the Rabai parliamentary seat in last year’s general election.She is considered Maendeleo Chap Chap Party point- person in Kilifi County.
2. Dr Kilemi Mwiria- He resigned as President Uhuru Kenyatta’s advisor on matters education last year to contest for the Meru governor seat. Mwiria also dumped President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee party and joined Chap Chap party in 2017. He lost his Meru governorship bid to Kiraitu Murungi in last year’s general election.
3. Lenny Kivuti- He was elected Embu Jubilee senator in the 2013 general election. He, however, dumped Jubilee party and joined governor Mutua’s Maendeleo Chap Chap Party in the run up to last year’s general election.
Kivuti contested for the Embu governor seat losing to Martin Wambora of Jubilee party. Kivuti, however, filed a petition challenging Wambora’s victory. Last month Embu High court nullified Wambora’s election and ordered for fresh gubernatorial polls.
The former Embu senator is expected to fly the Maendeleo Chap Chap ticket in the gubernatorial by-election should the court of appeal dismiss Wambora’s appeal.
4. Mary Mwangi alias 'Mama Double M'– She is a successful business lady owning a fleet of PSV buses in Nairobi and also a politician. She unsuccessfully contested for the Embakasi Parliamentary seat in last year’s polls under the Maendeleo Chap Chap party. Mwangi is also considered governor Alfred Mutua’s close ally and is expected to bid again should there be a by -election following Babu Owino’s election nullification.
Babu has appealed the High court ruling that nullified his victory.
5. Francis Maliti- He is Mutua’s deputy and close ally. He could deputize the governor is his 2022 presidential bid. There are however claims that Maliti is likely to succeed Mutua when his term comes to an end in 2022.
6. Kalonzo Musyoka- He is the Wiper party leader and NASA leader Raila Odinga’s deputy. Governor Mutua has several times told him to shelve his 2022 bid and support him. However it is unlikely that Kalonzo could accept to deputize Mutua since the two are said to be political nemeses.
7. William Ruto- He is the current Deputy President and has declared interest in the 2022 presidential election. Governor Mutua last month vowed to convince DP Ruto to deputize him on grounds that the presidency seat should be rotated among all the communities. Mutua argues that the presidency is not preserve of two communities.
Political analysts argues that Governor Mutua has to shop for a serious and well known person if he is to make an impact and win the 2022 presidential election.
Several top politicians among them Mombasa governor Hassan Joho have declared interest in the top seat.
NASA leader Raila Odinga could also make another stab at the presidency in 2022 after losing twice in last year’s presidential election.
President Uhuru Kenyatta is serving his second and final term and is expected to campaign for his deputy William Ruto in 2022.