Westlands MP Tim Wanyonyi has declared he will be vying for the Bungoma governor’s seat in the 2027 General Election. Westlands MP Tim Wanyonyi (pictured) has declared his bid for the Bungoma gubernatorial seat. He revealed it in a recent radio interview. “As Tim Wanyonyi, I am ready to go serve the people of Bungoma. The position is that I will be vying for the governorship of Bungoma,” he said. This came days after a majority of elected MPs from across Bungoma county declared their support for Wanyonyi. Bungoma comprises nine constituencies. Eight serving lawmakers declared they would be throwing their weight behind Wanyonyi, who is National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula’s younger brother. Why Bungoma MPs want Tim Wanyonyi to be governor
According to the MPs, Wanyonyi has proven his suitability to steer Bungoma to prosperity after Governor Ken Lusaka’s tenure. They are inspired by the MP’s record in Westlands and empowerment initiatives in Bungoma, his native county. The lawmakers are John Waluke, who is Sirisia MP, Kanduyi’s John Makali, Jack Wamboka of Bumula, Mt Elgon’s Fred Kapondi, Martin Wanyonyi (Webuye East), John Chikati (Tongaren), Dan Wanyama (Webuye West), and Kabuchai’s Majimbo Kalasinga. Excluded is Kimilili’s Didmus Barasa, who had long declared his bid to be Bungoma’s third governor since the rollout of devolution in 2013. Wanyonyi, who is serving his third term representing the Westlands constituency in the National Assembly, has risen to be among the big cheeses in Nairobi politics. The MP also got the outlook of a national politician, political analysts assert. A lawyer by profession, Wanyonyi was first elected to parliament in 2013 and has defended his seat in the subsequent elections, all on ODM party tickets.
For a time, he had been known to be training his focus on the Nairobi governorship. He had been slated to give his first shot in the 2022 vote but was forced to shelve his want for the governor’s seat after an agreement within the Azimio La Umoja Coalition Party favoured a Jubilee Party candidate, Polycarp Igathe. Westlands MP Tim Wanyonyi has been endorsed by Bungoma county leaders to contest for the governor’s seat in 2027. Photo: Tim Wanyonyi. Source: Twitter Wanyonyi returned to the Westlands parliamentary race to defend his seat. After the general election, the MP revisited his bid for the Nairobi governorship, giving all indications that he would be on the ballot for the same in 2027. How Tim Wanyonyi will influence Nairobi, Bungoma politics His aspiration was to clash with that of Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, who is also believed to be eyeing the leadership of City Hall. Babu and Wanyonyi are ranking ODM members with close ties with the party leader, Raila Odinga., It would be a scramble for the ODM ticket, with their determination not to defer their ambitions. Wanyonyi’s exit to Bungoma, hence, tends to hand Babu an easy run for the party ticket. In Bungoma, Barasa had thus far been the top contender for the county governorship, having declared his ambition. No other known candidate has declared their bid so far. Lusaka is serving his first and final term. The entry of Wanyoyi in the race could complicate things for Barasa, given the oomph and sway enjoyed by the latter.
By Kai Eli
