Ford Kenya leaders:County Assembly Majority leader Joseph Nyongesa,Ford Kenya secretary general Murumba Chikati and Bungoma Senator David Wakoli…Photo/IP
By Timothy Wekesa.
BUNGOMA, KENYA
The political landscape in Bungoma County has been set ablaze following a dramatic fallout between the Ford Kenya party leadership and Westlands MP Timothy Wanyonyi.
In a decisive press statement issued Sunday afternoon, the “Lion Party” top brass officially distanced themselves from Wanyonyi’s 2027 gubernatorial ambitions, signaling a messy divorce before the marriage even began.
From “Preferred Successor” to Party Outcast
The tension traces back to July 2024, when a high-profile meeting at the Wanangali Hotel saw elected and nominated leaders endorse Wanyonyi as the successor to the current Governor, Kenneth Lusaka.
Since then, Ford Kenya loyalists had been aggressively marketing Wanyonyi’s brand, despite him being the younger brother of the party’s leader and National Assembly Speaker, Moses Masika Wetangula.
However, the honeymoon ended abruptly after a viral video surfaced on social media. In the clip, Wanyonyi categorically stated he would seek the governorship on any party ticket except Ford Kenya.
Ford Kenya Fires Back
Responding to the snub, Ford Kenya Secretary General and Tongaren MP John Chikati was blunt in his assessment, asserting that Wanyonyi was never a member of the party to begin with.
“We do not need him. Ford Kenya is a party with deep roots, and we will field a formidable candidate to ensure the Governor’s seat remains within our structures,” Chikati affirmed.
Supporting this stance, Bungoma Senator Wafula Wakoli emphasized the party’s organizational strength. While he welcomed new members to the fold, he maintained that any aspirant would be subjected to “fair and democratic nominations,” making it clear that the party would offer no special favors to anyone—regardless of their family ties.
“Not the Person We Thought”: Leaders React
The rhetoric grew sharper as Webuye East MP Martin Pepela accused Wanyonyi of being “discriminatory,” suggesting his brand of politics would be detrimental to the people of Bungoma.
“He is not the person we thought he was when we first welcomed him back home,” Pepela remarked. “Bungoma deserves, and will get, a better governor.”
The Sunday briefing was attended by a heavy-hitting delegation of local leaders, including: Joseph Nyongesa (County Assembly Majority Leader), George Makari (Musikoma MCA), Jerusa Aleu (Milima Ward), Polycarp Wandabusi (West Nalondo Ward)
A Dilemma for the Rank and File
Despite the firm rejection of Wanyonyi, the Ford Kenya leadership stopped short of naming their own preferred candidate to succeed Governor Lusaka.
This silence has left a section of the party’s supporters in a dilemma, especially given that Wanyonyi has previously enjoyed the vocal support of non-Ford Kenya heavyweights like John Waluke (Sirisia) and Dan Wanyama (Webuye West).
As the “Lion” roars back at Wanyonyi, the 2027 race for the Bungoma top seat has officially shifted from a friendly endorsement to a high-stakes political battlefield.



