Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi at a past event. Photo: Amason Kingi/ facebook.com
The Kingi-Kambi-Mung'aro contest for Kilifi County Governor seat in the August elections may prove to be one of the toughest political battles ever witnessed in the region.Governor Amason Kingi, ODM leader Raila Odinga's right-hand man is the favourite to win the seat despite the mutiny staged by his erstwhile friend, Gideon Mung'aro, the Kilifi North MP.Banking on his development record to springboard his re-election bid, Kingi says that under his leadership, the county has achieved much in the field of infrastructure, heath and water; something he says will be confirmed by the voters come August 8.Mung'aro, who has been accused by politicians allied to Kingi of rocking the Mijikenda unity is the incumbents biggest headache in a battle that is slowly turning into a two-horse race.Running on a Jubilee party ticket, Mung'aro has roped in Kingi's deputy Kennedy Kamto to his side, a move that may throw the spanner into the works for Kingi who has weathered many political storms during his tenure as Governor.Buoyed by his financial muscle, former Labour Cabinet Secretary Kazungu Kambi is another veteran in the county politics who is expected to spice up the race.Kambi who made a name for himself during his tenure as Kaloleni MP where he was credited for prudential management of the CDF kitty is banking on his mobilization skills to outsmart his competitors despite vying on KADU-Asili, a little-known party.After suffering a resounding defeat at the hands of Kingi during the 2013 elections, Pwani University Lecturer Prof Gabriel Katana is out to to try his luck again. However, according to political pundits, he is an outsider in the race that many be seen as a purely ODM-Jubilee duel.Enjoying the advantage of incumbency, Kingi is the man to beat. However, with Mung'aro leading the ODM splinter group, the race for Kilifi Governor may go to the wire.