Governors since the 2013 general election have proved to be centers of powers which can't be ignored and this has been proven by specific incidences where the county chiefs directly challenged President Uhuru Kenyatta.
From Mombasa's Hassan Joho, Turkana's Josphat Nanok, Kilifi's Amason Kingi, and former Meru Governor Peter Munya among other governors from opposition strongholds, these leaders have proven that regional governments can actually challenge the Centre and marshal masses to go against the country's highest office.
They will play an important role in determining who becomes the 2022 presidents. Sample them below;
1. Hassan Joho
He is considered the Coast region political kingpin. He has taken on President Uhuru Kenyatta directly on key issues affecting the region and openly declared willingness to fight to the end for the sake of safeguarding the interests of the people of Coast. Joho has the capacity to marshal support for a presidential candidate and this was evident in 2013 and 2017 when he mobilized votes for opposition chief Raila Odinga despite the heavily Jubilee machinery deployed in Mombasa, Tana River, Kwale, Kilifi, Taita Taveta and Lamu.
2. Josphat Nanok
The Turkana governor will play an instrumental role in determining who will garner the Turkana community vote. He is from a county that has vast oil reserves and will use that as a bait for presidential candidates. His influence spills past Turkana and may use his influence as the Council of Governors Chairman to clip wings of 'unwanted' presidential candidates in the oil rich-county.
3. Wycliffe Oparanya (Kakamega)
The former Planning minister heads a county with the second highest population after Nairobi. The Luhya community which he belongs also has the second highest number of registered votes in the country after Kiambu (Kikuyu community). Oparanya also enjoys majority support across the larger former Western province as he is in good blood with governors Sospeter Ojaamong (Busia), Wilber Ottichillo (Vihiga) and part of Rift Valley including Bomet where former governor Isaac Ruto hails from.
4. Ferdinand Waititu
The fact that the Kiambu governor represents a county with the third highest population of registered voters gives him a lee-way. He is also a close ally president Uhuru Kenyatta who has interests in determining who becomes the country's fifth commander i chief.
Other governors who may play a key role in the 2022 presidential polls, although peripherally, include Dr Alfred Mutua (Machakos), Jackson Mandago (Uasin Gishu) and Ali Roba (Mandera). Roba (Jubilee) is the only governor in North Eastern region who managed to sail through re-election.