Editor’s note: In this opinion piece, Kimutai Kirui delves into the 2027 Uasin Gishu gubernatorial race, which is steadily shaping up with strong mentions of incumbent Governor Jonathan Bii Chelilim, alias Koti Moja. Other notable names warming up for the race include Amb. Julius Bitok and Bundotich Zedekiah Kiprop (Buzeki), who have been highlighted for their transformative leadership.
The 2027 Uasin Gishu gubernatorial contest is steadily crystallising into a battle of presence, perception, and political trust — where incumbency, outsider credibility, and grassroots appeal are being tested in equal measure.
Koti Moja’s rivals exist, but few inspire the confidence of a truly grounded alternative. Governor Jonathan Bii, better known as Koti Moja, still commands the formidable advantage of incumbency. Yet politics is ultimately about momentum and public connection.
If he fails to regain his footing and reconnect with the grassroots, ‘Koti Moja’ may already be politically past the University of Eldoret and steadily heading home with the race in his hands — leaving sections of the current administration carrying the symbolic ‘big paper bag’ into political retirement, as figures like Chief Officer Finance Chemaget quietly retreat to Songoliet, Nandi.
Bundotich Zedekiah Kiprop, alias ‘Buzeki’, increasingly presents as an on-and-off, trial-and-error, seasonal political actor — one whose visibility peaks sharply during election cycles, only to diminish once the political spotlight subsides. For a significant section of the electorate, this cyclical presence raises a fundamental question of consistency.
In political terms, such intermittency is often interpreted as a deficit in sustained engagement. Leadership, at all levels, is not measured by episodic mobilisation but by continuous presence, relational depth, and long-term investment in the everyday realities of constituents.
From this perspective, inconsistency becomes less a stylistic trait and more a substantive vulnerability in credibility and trust. Leadership is built on sustained presence, not on occasional appearances wrapped in catchy slogans and polished public-relations theatrics. There is a growing concern that once entrusted with office, he could become detached from the ordinary citizens who elevated him.
Buzeki wields a firm financial muscle
Buzeki assumes that electoral support is primarily transactional, driven by financial inducement rather than sustained engagement or policy credibility.
From this perspective, he is viewed as relying on high-profile, heavily funded campaigns and short-term visibility — “pouring money” into electioneering with the expectation of converting resources into votes.
Buzeki is fundamentally a businessman, and his political style is often read through the lens of enterprise logic — high-level marketing, strategic lobbying, and calculated visibility. In that framework, influence is shaped less by ideological depth and more by persuasion, positioning, and resource-driven mobilisation.
However, such a strategy, if perceived as purely transactional, risks being interpreted as political opportunism rather than genuine leadership rooted in trust, continuity, and grassroots connection. On the other hand, Buzeki’s 2022 running mate, Reuben Kipkosgei Chepses Arap Koech, has been messing a lot with ‘Koti Moja’ and the ACK Church — allegedly orchestrating unlawful evictions and other undercuts that will be exposed in due course.
Chepses warms up to ‘Koti Moja’
We will name names, identify the parcels of land involved, and expose where squatters were unlawfully evicted. Accountability must prevail, no matter how powerful the individuals involved may be. In many ways, politics resembles courtship. A serious woman seeking marriage would hardly trust a man who appears only when it is convenient, disappears without consistency, and resurfaces when attention is required. She would likely view him as unserious – a nonstarter. Even seduction demands sustained presence, emotional investment, and reliability.
The same principle applies to leadership: people trust those who remain present long after the applause fades. ‘Koti Moja’, as the sitting county chief executive, inevitably embodies the institutional weight of incumbency — authority, access to state machinery, and control over administrative resources. The question of whether he still carries the “Koti Moja” tag is, therefore, less a matter of label and more a question of political psychology and public perception. Incumbency is double-edged: it can consolidate legitimacy through delivery or gradually erode grassroots intimacy through distance, protocol, and bureaucratic insulation.
Amb. Julius Bitok presents a different challenge
Principal Secretary, State Department for Basic Education, Amb. Julius Bitok embodies competence and refinement, but his image feels overly corporate and distant from the realities of the common mwananchi. The polished sophistication, academic aura, and elevated social posture risk creating a leadership style that appears exclusive rather than accessible.
Politics, especially at the county level, rewards emotional connection more than elite presentation. Koti Moja’s appeal lies precisely where his competitors struggle: accessibility. He is viewed as approachable, humble, and culturally relatable. Many ordinary voters can identify with him without feeling intimidated or excluded.
Emotional familiarity gives ‘Koti Moja’ a natural political advantage
Koti Moja’s key opportunity lies in asserting clear independence from vocal Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi and associated entrenched networks. He must distance himself from goonism, strengthen accountability on development and resource management in Uasin Gishu, and demonstrate transparent, autonomous leadership. If he successfully frees himself from perceived cartel influence and political micromanagement, he strengthens his claim as the most authentic and credible alternative in the race.
Amb. Bitok stands out as one of the most institutionally accomplished and administratively refined figures in the field. Yet, in the raw arena of county politics, refinement alone is not decisive. To resonate beyond elite circles, he must carefully temper the aura of excessive sophistication – the sense of invincibility, class exclusivity, and near-ceremonial public demeanour that can unintentionally create distance from the electorate.
His record in national government, particularly as a principal secretary, reflects competence and high-level execution. However, national service and county leadership operate on fundamentally different logics. At the national level, a principal secretary is primarily an implementer of executive policy — translating presidential priorities and the ruling party’s manifesto into administrative action.
County governance, by contrast, is not about implementation from above but representation and accessibility. A county governor is judged less by technical alignment with national policy and more by the ability to articulate local realities, embody community aspirations, and maintain continuous proximity to the electorate.
This distinction is fundamental: national leadership is hierarchical and policy-driven; devolved leadership is relational, grounded, and politically intimate. A successful governor must therefore be more than an administrator — he must become a living embodiment of local trust and accessibility.
The author is Kimutai Kirui, a Kenyan political analyst and human rights activist known for his work in Uasin Gishu County, where he has championed justice in cases ranging from police brutality to land disputes affecting widows.
Views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not represent the editorial position of news9.africa.
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