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Nakuru governor Lee Kinyanjui drops deputy, picks new running mate


Nakuru Governor Lee Kinyanjui has dropped his Deputy of five years and named a woman running mate ahead of the August 2022 polls.

Kinyanjui, who is gunning for a second and final term in office, dropped Dr. Eric Kipkoech in favour of Ms. Franciscar Jelagat Kamuren.

He explained that Kamuren, 47, is an accomplished grassroot mobiliser with a strong passion for community development and was picked after wide consultation.

“Äfter long consultations with diverse stakeholders, I have decided to appoint Ms.Franciscar Jelagat Kamuren as running mate for my second term bid,” Kinyanjui said.

The nominee holds a Masters’s degree in linguistics from Egerton University and has served in various capacities.

The governor is seeking to defend his seat via the ruling Jubilee party ticket under the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition.

He is however facing stiff competition from the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate Susan Kihika, who is the current Senator for Nakuru and his appointment is seen as a tactic to woo the women vote.

His announcement comes hours after Kihika unveiled her running mate in a press conference from Nakuru.

Kihika picked David Kones as the man to deputise her after an interview that attracted half a dozen candidates.

The senator, who is a staunch supporter of Deputy President William Ruto was handed a direct ticket.

Nakuru is among the largest counties in Kenya and was recently conferred city status by President Uhuru Kenyatta, making it the fourth city in Kenya after Nairobi, Mombasa, and Kisumu.

The county is a cosmopolitan city and was the headquarters of the Rift Valley province under the old Constitution.