As the Bungoma Senatorial by election campaign trails enter the last week, Azimio’s Wafula Wamunyinyi has continously raided the Kenya Kwanza strongholds.
The Democratic Action Party Of Kenya (DAP-K) boss has recently been camping in the areas perceived to be strongholds for Ford Kenya under National Assembly Speaker Francis Masika and United Democratic Alliance (UDA) led by President William Ruto.
Aware that Kenya Kwanza garnered more votes in the region than Azimio, Mr. Wamunyinyi has relentlessly wooed residents to vote for him as the next Senator of Bungoma County.
Wamunyinyi has camped in Tongaren Constituency whose area MP, John Chikati, was voted on Ford Kenya ticket.
UDA’s candidate and former Bumula MP Mwambu Mabonga, is understood to have roots in Tongaren, a factor that may mess the matrix between the two Kenya Kwanza candidates.
Ford Kenya’s Wakoli Wafula, who hails from Bumula, has not scared Wamunyinyi to launch charming rallies in the area to bag several votes from the area.
The current MP for Bumula, Jack Wamboka, was elected on Wamunyinyi’s DAP-K ticket and Wamunyinyi is banking on the popularity of DAP-K to sell his agenda.
In Kanduyi Constituency where Wamunyinyi narrowly lost to Ford Kenya’s John Makali, the energy has intensified with Wamunyinyi hoping to regain his support base.
Other areas where Wamunyinyi has launched massive raids for votes include Sirisia Constituency where are MP John Waluke, was elected on Jubilee ticket under Azimio Coalition.
On Saturday 3rd December, 2022, Wamunyinyi held a series of campaign rallies in Chwele, Kabuchai Constituency, where area MP Majimbo Kalasinga is a Ford Kenya.
Wamunyinyi has maintained that his attempt to capture the Senatorial seat is inspired by his agenda to pass laws that benefit local farmers, among them the sugar and coffee farmers.
Currently, the Wamunyinyi Sugar Bill is pending at the Senate, an agenda he says, is still on his mind once elected.
According to Wamunyinyi’s speeches, Bungoma County is home to everyone and that there’s nothing like anyone’s bedroom.
“Those who are mapping some areas as bedrooms for some leaders should stop and watch this pace,” Wamunyinyi was heard as saying, during one of his rallies.
With Kenya Kwanza fielding Mwambu and Wakoli, therefore splitting votes, analysts claim that Wamunyinyi may sail through on the ballot.
Wamunyinyi has continued to position himself as the best leader to oversight the Governor Kenneth Lusaka government, saying you cannot expect a Kenya Kwanza leader to oversight a Kenya Kwanza government.
Residents of Bungoma County are forced to go back to the ballot on December 8, 2022, after Mr. Francis Masika Wetang’ula resigned to take his current position.