Kisii County Deputy Governor Joash Maangi has joined the gubernatorial race and will be battling it out with Senator Chris Obure for the Jubilee party’s ticket.
Speaking at Gianchore, the deputy governor said he will easily sail through Jubilee Party nominations.
“I am the David of the Abagusii community and I am going to face off with anyone who is eyeing the same position. I am sure that I will win the nominations,” Mr Maangi told a cheering crowd.
His announcement received mixed reactions with a section of MPs accusing him of betraying the Gusii unity caucus team.
Bomachoge Chache MP Joel Onyancha dismissed the new announcement and asked him to stick to their initial plan of backing senator Obure for the county’s top seat.
“I want to ask my brother Maangi to stick to our first agreement that brought us together and that is supporting the senator for the county’s top seat,” said Onyancha.
His words were also echoed by Bobasi MP Stephen Manoti who warned that the Jubilee team in the county would break if Maangi went on campaigning for the county’s top seat.
“We had agreed, I don’t know why Maangi has declared interest on the seat again, I ask him to sacrifice and back senator Obure for the county’s top seat,” he said.
But Maangi insisted that his interest for the county’s top seat would not cause jitters among leaders affiliated to the Jubilee party.
“We are as a team, my announcement that am in the gubernatorial race does not mean that we are in fights.Jubilee party leaders in Kisii County are united,” he said.
It is not the first time the deputy governor has announced that he will be in the ballot.
Last year during a press conference with journalists, Maangi said that his name would be in the ballot come the next general elections either as governor or the deputy governor of Kisii County.