Jackson Mandago(Photo/the-star.co.ke)
If any politician has been able to cut a niche for himself in the North Rift enclave, that man is none other than Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson arap Mandago.
Mandago comes out as a bullish and independent-minded Governor who is not afraid to speak his mind at any time. He also has the characteristic of getting whatever he has set his eyes done to his expectation.
Immediately he took over as the first Governor of Uasin Gishu in 2013, Eldoret faced a major image crisis of hawkers and small kiosk traders soiling the face of the town. A good number of them thought that Mandago was bluffing when he ordered them out. It was only after he descended on them with bulldozers that they realized that there was a new Sherriff in town.
Recently, during the heat of the 2017 campaigns, he threatened to tell his supporters to vote otherwise if Jubilee continued to support his competitor, Bundotich Buzeki.
That Mandago enjoys wide was not in doubt. His supporters would occasionally bring business to a standstill in Eldoret in a show of unprecedented force in the region.
Other than William Samoei Ruto, no other politician enjoys immense power in the region like Jackson Mandago.
There have been suspicions that the two powerful leaders read from different scripts. Fears abounded that Buzeki had been sponsored to remove
Mandago from power.
The two leaders have, however, continued to enjoy a cordial relationship in the recent past. DP Ruto endorsed Mandago in the last leg of the campaigns, obliterating any fears of disharmony between the two leaders.
Mandago is an alma mater of Kenyatta University. He holds a Masters in Procurement and Strategic Planning from CUEA.
During the 2017 poll, he earned himself the title 'Baba mdogo' after Raila Odinga endorsed him for the Gubernatorial bid against Bundotich Buzeki.
That Mandago is a no-nonsense leader is not in doubt. He is a go-getter and is not a man to shy away from any controversy.