Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Sondu Town

The proposed new parliamentary constituency, which was curved out of the old Belgut in Kericho seemed to have attracted a good number of high profile aspirants.

Sigowet constituency, whgich was created and proposed by the disbanded Interim Boundaries Commission headed by former Vihiga MP Andrew Ligale is ensconced between Nyando, Nyakach,Muhoroni, Mugirango West, Belgut, and Ainamoi constituencies covering half a dozens of administrative districts.

It is indeed an agriculturally rich region, which is producing a lot of green tea eaves, sugar cane, maize and other cash crops. The area is served by two major trading centers, namely Kiptere the administrative headquarters, Sigowet and Soindu, which is a order market serving members of the three communities, namely Kipsigis, Luos and Kisiis.

Among the high profile aspirants who have indicated their interests in the new seat, though the new constituency has yet to be officially gazette is Justice Kemei, the former corporate and marketing director with the Chemelil Sugar Company Limited, who is now an employee of Matt International in Mombasa

Kemei contested the election in 2007 when he contested in the old and larger Belgut and lost to the incumbent Charles Keter in unclear circumstances related to massive rigging. He had been declared the winner during the ODM preliminaries, but matter became nasty when he visited the Orange House, the ODM party headquarters in Nairobi to collect his clearance certificate. He got the shock of his life when he learnt that his victory has been turned down and the loser Keter issued with the certificate apparently on the alleged instruction of the deputy party leader William Ruto.

Other include Eng.Richard Koech also a former top manager at the Chemelil Sugar Company in Muhuroni who has since turned an international consultant in agricultural development working for the multinational agro-based companies in Swaziland, Mozambique, South Africa and Malawi.

Other high profile personalities expected to join the Sigowet race include Ken Mutai a prominent Kericho trader, J.Kemei of Kengen,Dr Joseph Rotich,a CDF manager in Baringo, Eng Kitur of the Microloans, John Chepkwony who is a senior supplies officer with the Ministry of Works. A one time two times MP for the old larger Belgut Kiptarus Kirior who also had served as an Assistant Minister in the KANU regime f the retired former President Daniel Arap Moi.

There is a hint that many more aspirant who be joining the race in the near future. The party of the day in the region is still the ODM, though it is facing a serious challenge from the rebel MPs allied to the suspended Higher Education Minister William Ruto.

The party of independence, KANU is also said to be gaining ground in the rural Kipsigis whyile the UDM is popular, but still lack the effective leadership ever since the Pro-Ruto groups staged a coup against its chairman Lt.Gen[rtd}John Arap Koech. The general has refuted the claims insisting he is still the party boss.

Men to watch in this particular battle of the giants are Justice Kemei, Eng. Richard Koech and Ken Mutai a Kericho businessman. Mutai, however, is yet to come clean over a ten year old allegation that his business flagship Mutai Wholesalers in Kericho Town had faked the maize seedlings and sold fake seeds purporting them to have been manufacturing by the Kenya Seed Company in Kitale. The faked seeds failed to give good the good yield in the entire South Rift causing a crop failure which spread to other areas like Kisii and Trans-Mara regions

The sub-division of one of the largest constituencies in the South Rift is said to be a blessing in disguise for the incumbent Belgut MP Charles Keter whom the residents says had lost touch with the electorate. The MP work has been made much easier as he will now represent Sosiot, and Kabianga Divisions and the estates and factories, which are located southeast of Kericho Town. The outspoken MP who is certain time acting like Ruto’s spanner-boy is also reported toi have rubbed his shoulders the wrong way with the multinational tea companies, especially the James Finlays Tea and Flower Company and the Unilever Tea Companies.

The two companies are said to have employed a large number of plantation workers some ho are registered voters in Belgut, while other are voting in Konoin, Buret as well as Sotik constituencies.

The battle is expected to hot up between the two former Chemelil Sugar Company top managers Eng Richard Koech and Justice Kemei. The two appear to have a lot of influence among the voters due to their track record in development activities.

Another man to watch is the former Belgut MP Kiptarus Kirior who is said to be commanding a lot of support from the middle aged people, but only a smaller portion of voters from his Soin Dvision home turf were included in the new Sigowet constituency leaving many sub-locations in Ainamoi constituency.

The newly create Sigowet is an area blessed with fertile soil capable of producing tea leaves along side the sugar cane as well as other cash crops.

Ends