About 20 aspirants have shown interest to replace Alice Wahome as the next Kandara MP in the by-elections slated for January 5 next year.
Wahome has already taken up her new position as Cabinet Secretary for Water, Irrigation and Sanitation.
Already the seat has been declared vacant by the National Assembly speaker, Moses Wentagula.
Majority of those who have expressed interest in the seat, have aligned themselves with United Democratic Alliance (UDA), a clear indication the party primaries will be hotly contested.
Wahome was elected for a third term before the President nominated her to head the water docket.
The staunch supporter of UDA was elected as MP in 2013 on the National Alliance (TNA) ticket before she was re-elected in 2017 on a Jubilee party ticket.
Those who are vying include candidates who lost in the August election.
Waithera Muithirania who unsuccessfully vied for the seat of county woman representative on Jubilee party ticket, has already embarked on early campaigns. Muithirania has ditched the Jubilee party and joined the ruling Party, UDA.
Other aspirants include Lucy Ngugi former deputy speaker in the Murang’a county assembly, Njuguna Chege, Kelvin Kamau, Edward Mwaura, Raphael Kiome among others.
During the last general election, Njuguna Chege who vied on Chama Cha Kazi ticket came in second after garnering more than 19, 000 votes.
Francis Kibe the majority leader in the Murang’a county assembly who had declared interest in the seat has however withdrawn his bid.
During a recent function, Wahome said she was under pressure from the aspirants who are seeking her endorsement.
The CS, however, said the candidate to replace her must be from the UDA party and one who will be accepted by the residents.
“The people of Kandara will decide whoever they want to become the new member of parliament by casting their votes in the by-election” she said.
Further she said whoever will replace her must be willing to complete all the pending projects.
“I have left a lot of unfinished projects behind, and thus whoever will take over from me must ensure the work is done” Wahome added saying she will continue working for the people of Kandara though in a different capacity.
Currently, the aspirants have been using their social media platforms and foot soldiers to campaign for them at the grassroots before the official campaign period is announced.
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