Senate Speaker Kenneth Makelo Lusaka has finally come out to clear the air on his candidature for the Bungoma gubernatorial seat.
In a voice note sent to various social media forums on Tuesday evening, the former Bungoma Governor came clear on the reports surrounding his bid to recapture the coveted seat he held from 2013 to 2017.
Reports have been gong around that Mr. Lusaka may not be on the ballot to challenge Governor Wycliffe Wangamati after leaders from Raila Odinga’s Azimio camp reached out to him to abandon his ambition for a bigger position at the National level.
This is after COTU boss Francis Atwoli and Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya called on the former administrator to consider joining Azimio Coalition that comprises of ODM, Jubilee and the newly-launched Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K).
But speaking in his voice note, Lusaka assured his supporters that he is firmly in the race and urged everyone to ignore any propaganda disqualifying him from the ballot.
“There has been a series of propaganda going around that I will not be on the ballot during this election; I want to confirm that I I am vying as to be the next governor of Bungoma County and no going back,” said Lusaka.
The Senate boss also added that the reports circulating around his bid to replace Wangamati are engineered by his panicking opponents who are afraid of facing him on the ballot.
“Ignore those propaganda. Those fake stories have been fueled by by opponents who are afraid of me.”
Mr. Lusaka became the first Governor of Bungoma in 2013 after a landslide victory against his closest opponent and former Kanduyi MP Alfred hang’ati.
However, Lusaka lost to his own 2013 campaign resource mobilisation Chairman Wycliffe Wafula Wangamati with a range of 20,000 votes before President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto aided him to become the Senate Speaker.
Lusaka is now eyeing his seat back, backed by Ford Kenya leader and Bungoma Senator Moses Wetang’ula who has already offered him a direct ticket.
Other aspirant eyeing the seat include Dr. Khakina of Kibabii University, Bungoma Liberation Patron and auctionaire Zackeriah Barasa and Kibabii University Quality Assurance boss Sophy Nekoye.