With less than 13 months to the 2022 General Election, political giants who lost in the 2017 General Election are busy plotting a return to elective politics after several years in the ‘cold’.
While most of the heavyweights plotting for a comeback appear to be former governors, it is likely that there will also be leaders who will rush to other positions including senator, parliament, and even the presidency.
The 25 governors who lost their seats in the last General Election are expected to try and bounce back.
Some of the governors who lost their seats are Evans Kidero (Nairobi), Isaac Ruto (Bomet), Speaker of the Senate Kenneth Lusaka (Bungoma), Kinuthia Mbugua (Nakuru), Peter Munya (Meru), William Kabogo (Kiambu), Godana Dayo (Isiolo) and Ukuru Yattani (Marsabit).
Others include Jack Ranguma (Kisumu), Moses Akaranga (Vihiga), Simon Kachapi (West Pokoto), David Nkedianye (Kajiado), John Mrutu (Taita Taveta), Julis Malombe (Kitui) and Benjamin Cheboi (Baringo) among others.
Those who have expressed their intentions include Evans Kidero, Isaac Ruto, Ken Lusaka, Jack Ranguma, Moses Akaranga, Simon Kachapin, among others.
Kabogo and Munya had previously stated their intention to run for the presidency but have gone silent in the past leaving their supporters confused as to whether they have changed their mind or not.
While most of them have announced their intentions to try and recapture their seats back, a section of the incumbent appear to have an added advantage over their competitors.
Ranguma says he is currently engaging with electorates and will recapture the seat back from Anyang Nyong’o (Kisumu governor) to ensure all the projects he started and are yet to be completed by the current administration are completed.
“I am coming back to continue with the work I started. At the moment, I am at the grassroot engaging with electorates on what they would want done,” he said.
Already, former Nairobi governor Evans Kidero, for instance, has expressed his intentions to vie for the Homa Bay gubernatorial seat in the 2022 polls.
Kidero who is on spot for allegedly failing to account how he acquired more than Ksh 8 billion property lost the seat to Mike Sonko who was impeached earlier this year.
According to analysts, apart from having the blessing of Raila Odinga, Kidero who is expected to battle it out with ODM chairman John Mbadi and Gladys Wanga appears to be the favorite.
Kenneth Lusaka who lost to Wycliffe Wangamati could bounce back to the helm of the County considering his successor has fallen out with FORD-K, the party which sponsored him to power.
Wangamati at one point combined forces with other party leaders to plot a coup against his party leader and Bungoma Senator Moses Wetang’ula, a move analyst say is likely to give Lusaka an upper hand in reclaiming his seat..
Apart from the gubernatorial seat, other political heavyweights that are expected to bounce back include former Kakamega senator Bonny Khalwale and former Trade minister Mukhisa Kituyi who has expressed his intentions to succeed retiring President Uhuru Kenyatta.
