Veteran trade unionist Francis Atwoli has pushed back against suggestions that his political influence is waning, stating he is too senior to engage in campaigns for a Member of County Assembly (MCA). His comments follow a significant by-election loss for established parties in his own Kakamega County backyard.

The political drama unfolded after the November 27 by-election in Kisa East Ward, located in Kwisero Constituency, where Atwoli has a rural home. The victory by a candidate from a newly formed party has been framed by Atwoli's rivals as a direct political blow to the long-serving Secretary-General of the Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU).

A Surprising Upset

The Kisa East seat was clinched by Aduda Okwiri of the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP), a party associated with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua. Okwiri secured 1,952 votes to win the seat, which had fallen vacant following the death of the previous MCA, Stephen Maloba. His closest competitor, Joel Ongoro of the Movement for Democracy and Growth (MDG) party, garnered 1,541 votes.

The win marked a notable entry for the six-month-old DCP into Western Kenya politics, a region long considered the stronghold of other political formations. Political commentators and rivals, including UDA Secretary General Cleophas Malala, quickly seized upon the result, publicly taunting Atwoli by suggesting that the new MCA in his home ward now belongs to a rival camp.

'I Can't Campaign for an MCA'

In response to the political narrative, Atwoli was unequivocal. According to a Daily Nation report, he dismissed the notion that the MCA election was a measure of his political might. The COTU boss emphasized that his focus is on national and international issues, not local ward contests. "I can't campaign for an MCA," he noted, distancing himself from the electoral outcome and rejecting the claims of his political adversaries.

Despite his disavowal, the result is seen as a symbolic victory for parties challenging the established order in the vote-rich Western region ahead of future elections. For the DCP, the victory in Kisa East, alongside wins in Kariobangi North and Narok Town, provides a crucial foothold as it builds its national profile.

While Atwoli maintains his stature is above local politics, the by-election in his home constituency has undeniably energized his rivals and set a new dynamic for political competition in Kakamega County. The coming months will reveal whether this result was an isolated event or the beginning of a significant political realignment in the region.