ODM Party Secretary General Agnes Zani at a past media briefing. She has declared interest in the Kwale Senator seat. [Photo/ standardmedia.co.ke]

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The Kwale County current leadership is a product of negotiated democracy considering the ethnic composition of the county and 2017 elections may not be any different. 

However, the Jubilee Party factor in the county may alter the arithmetic.

In the 2013 deal where ODM swept nearly all top political positions, the Senator position was reserved  for the dominant Digo sub-tribe, a seat that won by the late Boy Juma Boy.

Governor Salim Mvurya who comes from the Duruma sub-tribe bagged the Governor position with Zainabu Chidzuga who has Kamba-Digo roots taking the Women Representative position.

Atleast five candidates are seeking the ODM party ticket for the gubernatorial contest, and as it appears, the 2013 arrangement may be replicated.

Among those angling for Governor ticket are: Simeon Mkalla (Duruma), former PS Mohamed Wa Mwachai (Digo), Sammy Ruwa (Digo) and Nicholas Zani (Digo).

The Senate contest is not as crowded as the gubernatorial one with only ODM Secretary General Agnes Zani and Issa Juma Boy, the late Boy Juma Boy's younger brother, who are both Digos, declaring interest in the seat.

Assuming NASA wins by a landslide in the August polls, a deal similar to the 2013 one may be struck to accommodate all the ethnic groups in the county. 

However, should Jubilee bag some top seats, such an  arrangement may not see the light of the day.