Top 5 biggest political winners of 2019 in Kenya

2019 has been an eventful year, politically speaking. Politics is a game with winners and losers and so, Pulselive.co.ke compiled the biggest political winners 2019.

1 Imran Okoth

In January this year, Imran was a little-known elder brother to then Kibra MP Ken Okoth who was to later pass on in July.

Okoth campaigned to succeed his brother – counting on his experience of the Kibra CDF which was acclaimed for its proper use of taxpayers’ resources during Ken’s helm.

Okoth’s win for the ODM nomination cast him on the national stage as ODM Leader Raila Odinga personally led his campaign against McDonald Mariga fronted by Deputy President William Ruto.

2 Fred Matiang’i

2019 started with President Uhuru Kenyatta making an executive order which promoted Interior CS Fred Matiang’i to become Chairman of the National Development Implementation and Communication Cabinet Committee.

The executive order gave Matiang’i extra powers which earned him the title, Super CS – reporting directly to President Kenyatta.

In the past twelve years, Matiang’I power has gone beyond his administrative CS but also political – with endorsements from Kisii politicians to run for the Presidency.

He has also been charged with implementation of strategic government functions including the Huduma Namba registration exercise.

3 James Nyoro

The Kiambu Deputy Governor had a rough year in 2018 and in the early days of 2018 where he was often humiliated by his boss Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu.

However, Nyoro’s fortunes changed after Waititu was charged for corruption-related offences and forced to step away from the Governor’s office.

Nyoro assumed the powers of the Governor in an acting capacity and although his powers are limited, he is nevertheless the top man in Kiambu – controlling strategic executive offices.

4 McDonald Mariga

The former footballer debuted in politics during the Kibra by-elections held in November.

His entry to politics was anything but easy. He had a lot of difficulty in expressing himself and appeared aloof after it emerged, he had never voted in his adult life.

Despite the challenges, Mariga proved to be a quick political learner, improving at every stage of the turbulent campaign.

If he keeps up the momentum, Mariga is likely to have a future in politics and even if he does not shine further, he will remember 2019 and a year of his experiment in politics.

5 Ndindi Nyoro

In a parliament of 350 MPs, it is very hard to get the attention of the country.

However, Ndindi Nyoro managed to get national attention after a controversial confrontation with his political rivals in Murang’a.

He not only managed to feature in the headlines, but won on optics after he was dramatically arrested on live TV – only for the Police to release him without any charges.

This was the same way Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho became a national sensation after dramatic confrontations with the government between 2015 and 2017. If Nyoro follows in Joho’s footsteps, he could brighten his political horizons even further.