The Gusii highlands have long been one of Kenya’s most contested political battlegrounds, a region with roughly two million votes that can tilt national contests.
Politics has long been shaped by negotiated democracy. The idea that the community’s interests are best served when leaders strike deals with whichever side of national power guarantees development.
Unlike regions that vote as a bloc for one party, Gusii tends to spread its bets, sending some leaders to government and others to the opposition.
This balancing act has kept the region relevant, but it also fuels constant wrangles over who has the real mandate to negotiate on behalf of the community.
Since the death of Simeon Nyachae in 2021, the community has lacked a unifying political kingpin. What has emerged instead is a fractious scramble among local heavyweights, each trying to inherit Nyachae’s mantle while leveraging State House largesse.
Nyachae’s legacy looms large. A provincial administrator turned cabinet minister, he served under all three of Kenya’s founding presidents and was known for marrying political authority with private sector pragmatism. He is responsible for the rise of the current crop of Gusii politicians through his education advocacy.
His nationalist outlook, managerial discipline, and occasional defiance of presidential excess made him Kisii’s most famous son. But his presidential ambitions in 2002 were derailed by Raila Odinga’s last-minute switch to back Mwai Kibaki, a betrayal Nyachae never forgave.
Today, the vacuum left behind is fertile ground for rivalries. At a recent funeral, Anthony Kibagendi and Japheth Nyakundi’s public boxing over Ruto’s scorecard underscored just how volatile the Gusii political scene has become.
Matiang’i : Passing Cloud?
Former Interior Minister Fred Matiang’i briefly appeared to be the heir apparent. When word went around that the ‘Super CS’ was amassing Billions to fund his Presidential ambitions, Bottom Up allies went sniffing.
His confrontations with William Ruto’s allies during Uhuru Kenyatta’s presidency earned him both admirers and enemies. When Subarus came calling, his sudden departures to the United States weakened his grip at home.
Allies like Gloria Orwoba, Nyamira Governor Amos Nyaribo and Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka remain in his corner, but defectors such as Women Reps. Doris Donya and Jerusha Momanyi have drifted toward the pro-government camp led by Governor Simba Arati.
Arati has emerged as a central player. Charismatic, combative, and unafraid of controversy, he has stitched together an alliance with Nyakundi, and his fierce competitor Sylvanus Osoro; a grouping that marched into State House last week.
There, alongside Ruto and ODM’s Raila Odinga, they secured promises of Ksh46 billion worth of projects, from affordable housing to new markets and expanded electrification.
However, not everyone is convinced. Retired Chief Justice David Maraga, a symbol of integrity since his 2017 ruling nullifying Uhuru Kenyatta’s election, remains aloof from raw politicking, his credibility intact but his political influence limited. Meanwhile, Senator Okong’o Omogeni, a staunch ODM loyalist, has yet to declare whether he will break ranks or remain in opposition.
The Gusii region thus stands at a delicate moment. Ruto’s administration is pouring resources into Kisii and Nyamira, betting that infrastructure and housing will cement loyalty. But the underlying question persists: who speaks for the hills?
