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Where are women in the 2022 presidential race?
Winnie Kosgey takes part in the Ottawa 10-kilometre race virtual race along the Naiberi-Kaptuli road in Uasin Gishu County on June 2, 2020. PHOTO | JARED NYATAYA | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
In June, for instance, former Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture Mwangi Kiunjuri launched The Service Party (TSP), which, he believes, provides the alternative leadership the country desires.Maendeleo Chap Chap Party leader Alfred Mutua has, however, taken a different route to Presidency.Ms Karua and current Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu are pioneer presidential candidates.
The race to succeed President Kenyatta has started in earnest.
In fact, it began in 2018, less than a year after the highly contentious 2017 election that saw Kenyans sent back to the ballot box for a presidential rerun following the Supreme Court’s historic nullification of Mr Kenyatta’s win.
The succession battle has since been vicious with political factions such as the male-dominated Tanga Tanga and Kieleweke, and the women-led Inua Mama and Team Embrace popping up to coalesce support for their preferred presidential candidate, come 2022. Those who seem not to find space in the factions have opted to form their own political parties.
In June, for instance, former Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture Mwangi Kiunjuri launched The Service Party (TSP), which, he believes, provides the alternative leadership the country desires.
Others like Ford Kenya are seeking to reform their parties or negotiating for pacts to solidify their votes especially in Central, Western, Coast and Rift Valley regions. Kanu, for instance, has entered into a post-election coalition deal with Jubilee and Amani National Congress (ANC), while Wiper Party is exploring avenues for a post-poll coalition with Jubilee Party and Kanu.
