Bungoma Governor Wycliffe Wangamati has confirmed that he will not be seeking re-election on a Ford-Kenya party ticket in the 2022 elections.
Wangamati who was speaking at a funeral in Sirisia constituency at the weekend said he was consulting widely before deciding what direction to take.
“I am yet to choose between Raila Odinga’s Azimio La Umoja and William Ruto’s UDA for the 2022 General Election. It’s a decision that I will make after consulting residents and key political stakeholders,” he said.
The Bungoma Governor of the Ford-K trounced Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka of Jubilee in the 2017 General Election.
However, his relationship with Ford-K party leader and Bungoma Senator Moses Wetang’ula deteriorated after staging a failed coup within the lion party together with Tongaren MP Eseli Simiyu and his Kanduyi counterpart Wafula Wamunyinyi.
Wamunyinyi and Eseli have since joined the recently launched Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K) associated with Defence Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa.
Wamunyinyi was named as DAP-K party leader while former Ford Kenya Secretary General Eseli Simiyu was given the same seat he held in the lion party.
With barely months to the 2022 General Election, the Bungoma gubernatorial seat has attracted several political heavyweights seeking to unseat Wangamati.
Some of those who have expressed their intentions to unseat Wangamti include former speaker Ken Lusaka who will be seeking to reclaim his seat back on a Ford Kenya ticket and former Communication Authority of Kenya CEO Francis Wangusi.
Others are Kibabii University lecturers Peter Khakina and little-known Sophy Waliaula.
In July, Ford Kenya party leader Moses Wetang’ula said he had met with Lusaka several times and has reached a deal to welcome him back to the party.
“We have had deliberations with the speaker and as a party, we have no problem giving him a chance to unseat Wangamati he said,” Wetang’ula said.
