OPINION POLL: Tough contest as Reginalda Wanyonyi, Wambilianga leads in Bungoma 2022 Women Rep race

By Collins Matubwi and Seliphar Machoni

Bungoma

The race for the Bungoma Women Representative is likely to be a rematch between the incumbent Catherine Wambilianga and her predecessor, Dr Reginalda Wanyonyi.

With just five months to the polls, the battle lines have been drawn and the two political antagonists are already making inroads across the county to endear themselves to the voters ahead of the August 9, polls.

The County Splash, an online news platform commissioned an opinion poll to determine the popularity of the aspirants seeking to unseat Ms. Wambilianga.

The opinion poll was conducted between February 05 – March 10, 2022 targeting 3,000 people but only 2,693 respondents were reached through telephone interviews, filling of questionnaires and impromptu interviews. The margin of error was (+1) and (-1).

From the opinion poll results, if elections were held today, Reginalda Wanyonyi will elected as the Women Representative of Bungoma County with 821 votes (30.49 per cent) followed by Ms. Wambilianga, the current Women rep with 797 votes (26.60 votes).

In 2017, Wambilianga defeated Reginalda with 257, 063 votes against 83, 773 votes while Sangura Antonina came a distant third with 18, 627 votes.

Nancy Kibaba would come a distant third with 453 votes (16.82 per cent) followed by Rebecca Masibayi at the fourth position with 211 votes (7.84 per cent) and Dr Beryl Mutekhele at the fifth position with 66 votes (2.45 per cent).

Maria Nato emerged the sixth with 51 votes (1.90 per cent), Sween Khayange garnered 21 votes (0.78 per cent) to scoop the seventh position while Consolata Wakwabubi emerged at the eighth position with 16 votes (0.59 votes). There were 257 votes who were undecided representing 9.54 per cent of the sampled population.

In 2017, Wambilianga defeated Reginalda with 257, 063 votes against 83, 773 votes while Sangura Antonina came a distant third with 18, 627 votes.

Others were Sween Khayange (16, 627 votes), Jackline Nekesa (12, 028 votes), Kellan Wavomba (7, 265 votes), Consolata Wakwabubi (6,919 votes), Annah Masibo (6, 261), Margaret Toili (5,668 votes and Hellen Nangekhe (5,542 votes).

ANALYSIS

Dr. Reginalda Wanyonyi

She still enjoys the support of her networks as a result of the work she did while serving as women rep and will be vying on the newly formed party DAP-K that is associated with Defense Secretary Eugene Wamalwa.

Reginalda is also enjoying the support of Bungoma Governor Wycliffe Wangamati and a host of MPs and MCAs even from Ford Kenya and UDA.

With her wide political experience, Wanyonyi is accepted across the political divide with women, the elderly and the youth being her main support base.

However, she will have to brave the wave of Ford Kenya and UDA in the county if she is to have any impact in the August 9, polls.

Hon. Catherine Wambilianga

She has a wide network of supporters across the county by virtue of being the incumbent and cannot just be wished away like that.

She is well endowed with resources as well as having political goodwill from Bungoma Senator Moses Wetang’ula and the Kenya Kwanza coalition.

In 2017, she rode on the Ford Kenya wave to unseat Dr Wanyonyi.

Wambilianga earned her loyalty to Mr Wetang’ula as she is only elected leader in Bungoma who did not participate in the botched coup in the lion’s den that was orchestrated by Kanduyi MP Wafula Wamunyinyi, Tongaren MP Eseli Simiyu and Governor Wangamati.

 By supporting Wetang’ula during the coup, it earned her accolades and in return, Ford Kenya die hards have vowed to support her re-election for being loyal to the party.

If she plays her cards well, she will be able to close Reginalda’ s gap by tapping onto the undecided voters especially the youth and women and secure her seat for a second time.

However, it may not be a walk in the park for her as she will have to battle it out with Sween Khayange who has been brought to the party to checkmate her due to her dwindling popularity.

 Hon. Nancy Charity Kibaba

Between 2013 – 2017 she served as Ford Kenya nominated MCA and then come 2017, she presented her candidature for the Women Rep seat but was defeated by Wambilianga in Ford Kenya party nominations.

After the elections, she was appointed by Wangamati as Youth and Bodaboda advisor, a position she held until her resignation recently.

This will be her first time on the ballot and in order to play her cards well, she defected to ODM party where she is assured of a nomination certificate.

She is banking her support on the activities she has been doing while at the county government of Bungoma.

Hon. Rebecca Masibayi

The Kuppet treasurer for Bungoma County has been vocal in championing for the rights of women and girls in the county, a move that has been received well by women and teachers who form one of the largest voting bloc in the county.

Dr Beryl Mutekhele

She is the former County Executive Committee Member (CECM) in charge of Education under Governor Ken Lusaka’s administration.

She is currently a University Council Member at the University of Eldoret and is said to be eyeing nomination on the Ford Kenya party.

This will be her first stab into politics.

After leaving as CECM Education in 2017, she lost touch with the ground and did not carry out any activity in the county until recently when she declared that she was in the race. She is also not endowed with resources and running a spirited campaign may prove an uphill task for her.

Hon. Maria Nato

In 2017, she tried vying for the women rep seat but did not go past Jubilee nominations stage after being defeated by Dr Wanyonyi. It will be her first time on the ballot if he makes it past the nominations.

Hon. Sween Khayange

In 2017, she vied on ODM party and was the fourth in the race after garnering 16, 627 votes.

 She has since defected to Ford Kenya and will be trying her luck for the second time but must wrestle with Wambilianga at the party nominations to secure the Ford Kenya nomination certificate.

Insiders in Ford Kenya party argue that she might be handed the nomination certificate if it emerges that the incumbent Catherine Wambilianga cannot deliver the seat.

During Lusaka’s gubernatorial launch, she was heckled down by the mammoth crowd at Bungoma Posta grounds who accused her of underperformance.

However, her greatest undoing is that after every election2, she disappears from the ground.

Hon Consolata Wakwabubi

She is a former Chief Officer who was sacked by Governor Ken Lusaka midway his term. She participated in the 2017 general elections as an independent candidate and emerged position seven with 6,919 votes. She is in UDA, a party associated with the Deputy President William Ruto.

However, the sampled population claimed that she has lost touch with the ground since she is not generous.

End

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