The Bahatian

Before the recent court ruling that one's mobile phone number is part of their identification and cannot be recycled back into circulation if its not in use for a period of six months, it wasn't unusual to receive creepy calls or texts from a number of someone who long kicked the proverbial bucket. I've on two occasions been victim of same.  Its a weird experience. Think of it like communicating with someone in the afterlife.  The other day, I nearly jumped out of my skin. I saw someone we interred months ago liking my WhatsApp status updates. I was totally speechless, nay, dumbfounded. I decided to test the waters, and engage the number, clearly aware the good book tells us there's no communication between the living and the dead. ME : Hi Frank. How's it being on the other side? (At this point, my heartbeat was at 120 beats per second. Breath suspended. Head dizzy. Mouth dry). " FRANK ": I'm not Frank, I'm using his phone and line as a...

When Ndindi Nyoro unveiled the People Party of Kenya (PPK) as his political vehicle of choice after decamping from the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), many Mt Kenya legislators elected under the UDA party ticket saw it as a way of having a political lifeline after their fallout with the former Deputy President, Rigathi Gachagua, for voting yes to impeach him. Bahati constituency MP, Irene Njoki, camp was upbeat posting updates that no Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) officials attended Ndindi Nyoro party unveiling ceremony, a hint that the legislator was poised to join the party, with Kenyans interpreting that the PPK party was a president William Ruto cushion for such legislators in his party to have a soft landing. That UDA has lost its popularity in Mt Kenya region is not in contention as was seen during the Ol Kalou by-election when DCP swept the floor clean. And this is what is informing the incumbents and aspirants alike to seek for reelection or fresh mandates fr...

Worldwide, its not unusual to see leaders, once having tasted the trappings of power, will look for ways to cling to that office, and if its the highest in the land, to force constitutional amendments, or even rule through proxies.  Close home, we're seeing those who served at different elective offices reinventing themselves for a political comeback. Be it the first cohort of MCAs to governors and senators.  A look at Nakuru county political landscape illustrates this. Lee Kinyanjui, the second governor of Nakuru county, has set his sights for a political comeback, this time to recapture the seat he lost to the incumbent governor, Susan Kihika. The prospects of his reelection aren't promising. The online streets could be where his candidacy is highly amplified, but the ground is telling a different picture. The business community, for instance, is the unforgiving one. It vowed to send him home in 2022 and mobilized support for then senator Susan Kihika, who resoun...

The decision by the former Deputy President, Rigathi Gachagua, to endorse CPA Geoffrey Gitau Mwangi for the Nakuru county gubernatorial seat will prove to be a costly gamble. This is likely handing the incumbent governor, Susan Kihika, a victory on a silver platter. With former governor, Lee Kinyanjui, angling for a comeback, the race will be a two horse affair, with CPA Mwangi a fringe race outsider. Riggy G, as Gachagua is fondly known as, looks like ruffling feathers with every of his perceived political enemies, and this will be exploited to the advantage of Susan Kihika or Lee Kinyanjui, depending on ground shift when campaigns commences proper. Riggy G, during his recent tour of Nakuru county, didn't hide his disdain for Mr Kinyanjui, while at the same time landing digs at Ms Kihika. He cultivated the figure of a bully and his mantra of gather all and scatter none got scuttled in Nakuru. Pundits had expected him to back Tabitha Karanja Keroche, a known...

Left to right, Susan Kihika, Tabitha Karanja Keroche, and Liza Chelule Looking at the unfolding political theater especially in Nakuru County as the 2027 General Election race takes shape, one thing is clear; the talks of sending the so called Nakuru Girls home is premature. Nakuru Girls currently comprises of governor Susan Kihika, senator Tabitha Karanja Keroche, woman representative Liza Chelule  and legislators Irene Njoki Mrembo of Bahati, Charity Kathambi Chepkwony of Njoro, Martha Wangari of Gilgil and Jayne Kihara of Naivasha constituencies respectively. With the exception of senator Keroche, all other Nakuru Girls will be fighting hard to protect their seats. Ms Keroche has indicated she's going for the gubernatorial seat, and is ready to dethrone the incumbent with whom they've been pitted in internecine political exchanges. Some of these exchanges have degenerated to personal name calling, with other allegations seeing the governor rushing to courts filin...

After years of thumbing chalk, the celebrated teacher, Mr Gateru, retired. He retired in a ceremony of a kind, for he was more than an educator, but served in many leadership roles in the local community, and far. His impact was felt, and regaled by the many of the pupils he moulded and who today are scattered both locally and abroad.  He is celebrated more than a hero. It was while giving his retirement speech that he assured the community and the teaching fraternity that he wasn't going to retire to a life of penury or fade into oblivion but that his leadership was to be felt in a different way. He was going to contest in the upcoming elections for a parliamentary seat. "It's time to widen the scope of my leadership to represent you in a different capacity than in locally limited roles," he hinted as everyone cheered and clapped happily. The news of his political interest was received by the wannabe and seasoned politicians alike, and especially the incu...