Oparanya responds to claims of planning to vie for Senatorial seat

Former Kakamega governor Wycliffe Ambesta Oparanya has responded to claims of planning to contest for the county’s senatorial seat in 2027.

The position is currently occupied by Bonny Khwalwale who was elected on President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party.

Speaking in Likuyani constituency, Oparanya denied plans of training his guns to the senatorial seat, ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He said that having served as governor for two terms as stipulated in the constitution, he is ‘done and dusted’ with county politics.

“There is no one I have told that I will contest for the Senator’s seat,” said Oparanya.

“I am not interested at all. I am past county politics, I have left that to the people you elected in 2022. I am now playing politics at the national level,” he added.

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) deputy party leader served as the first Kakamega governor from 2013 to 2022.

Fernandes Barasa was elected the second Kakamega governor in 2022 on the ODM party ticket, after defeating former Senator Cleophas Malala.

Malala vied for the seat on Amani National Congress (ANC) party ticket. He left the formation after the polls. He is serving as UDA Secretary General.

Ahead of the August 2022 polls, Raila Odinga, Azimio La Umoja One Kenya leader pledged to appoint Oparanya the Cabinet Secretary for Finance in case he won the presidential contest.

That was not to be as William Ruto was declared winner of the contest.

Ruto appointed Njuguna Ndung’u CS for finance.