Joel Wamalwa, the CEO of the Lake Victoria North Water Works Development Agency, is vying for the Likuyani parliamentary seat. [Benard Lusigi, Standard]
With exactly one year remaining to the 2027 General Election, the fate of critical development projects across the Western region hangs precariously in the balance as state officers fight for elective seats against incumbents.
Senior state officers, legally tasked with ensuring full implementation of government initiatives, have instead shifted gear to active politics, complicating President William Ruto’s 2027 re-election bid amid unfulfilled promises.
For a region caught in the eye of a fierce political struggle between the Broad-based Government and the Linda Mwananchi movement to control the vote-rich base, 2027 succession debates have become an open secret.
Locals opine that the government's failure to fulfil key promises, combined with public servants prioritising early campaigns using state projects to seek elective office of their choice over development, is rendering the administration unpopular.
Consequently, political ground in Western Kenya is quickly shifting toward Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and his Linda Mwananchi movement, as analysts warn that self-serving state officers may ultimately cause the President's downfall at the grassroots.
The trend has sparked intense anger among residents, who are now training their sights on the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).
Locals have openly accused the anti-graft agency of being a "toothless dog" for failing to strengthen and enforce constitutional provisions that require public officers to remain politically neutral and refrain from participating in campaigns and leave politics to politicians to help the head of state.