Bungoma’s political theatre was rattled this weekend after controversial businessman-turned-politician Zacharia Baraza stormed the campaign trail, staging mammoth rallies from Chwele to Kimilili, Kamukuywa and Bungoma town. His entry, analysts say, has unsettled a delicate political balance that had been gravitating around established names—Governor Kenneth Lusaka, Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa and Westlands MP Tim Wanyonyi.
The Auctioneer Who Refused to Blink
Baraza is no stranger to controversy. Feared in Nairobi’s auctioneering circles, he made headlines when he led the demolition of an Avanis property in Westlands—a move condemned by elites but sanctioned by the courts. That hard-nosed reputation is the very brand he now exports to Bungoma politics: blunt, combative and unapologetic.
“Bungoma does not need puppets of Nairobi cartels,” he declared in Chwele, casting himself as the people’s warrior against what he calls imported leadership. His direct attack on Tim Wanyonyi—accusing him of “disowning his own family”—set tongues wagging.
Campaigning with the Hustlers
Baraza’s convoy drew in boda boda riders, market traders and artisans—his natural base. Unlike polished career politicians, he sells himself as a hustler who has fought battles in the open. His manifesto is couched in simple but fiery promises:
Education: Increase school capitation, end “elite neglect” of rural schools.
Health: Distribute health centres equitably, not politically.
Industry: Revive sugar factories like Nzoia, “or shut down the county nabobs who profit from their collapse.”
Accountability: Stop “PR projects” where roads are launched for mere photo optics and abandoned days later.
On Mumo FM, callers were split—some urging him to push for Senate, others chanting “Baraza go for it!”
The Establishment Under Fire
Baraza’s fiercest attacks target Governor Lusaka and Speaker Moses Wetang’ula, whom he accuses of plotting to relocate county headquarters to Kabuchai. “We shall not allow Wetang’ula and Lusaka to destroy Kanduyi and Bumula,” he warned on Facebook.
His words resonate with residents weary of elite pacts that have defined Bungoma politics for decades. But his rhetoric also raises the stakes, painting him as both disruptor and risk-taker.
A Political Earthquake or a Passing Tremor?
Analysts warn that while Baraza has injected raw energy into the race, he faces steep odds: little structured party machinery, limited national alliances, and the baggage of his auctioneering controversies. Yet, his populist pitch is forcing traditional power brokers back to the drawing board.
“The Baraza factor complicates Bungoma’s arithmetic. He speaks the language of the hustler, which Lusaka and Wetang’ula have ignored. Even if he doesn’t win, he could fracture blocs and deny big names an easy ride,” said a political analyst in Bungoma.
Escorted in a convoy of cars, Baraza pleaded for votes, promising equitable resource distribution and warning against outsiders “shopping for gubernatorial jobs at the last minute.” His supporters already describe him as Bungoma’s Trump card—abrasive, unpredictable, but impossible to ignore.
With campaigns entering full gear, Bungoma now stares at one of the most bruising gubernatorial contests in recent memory. Whether Baraza turns his first tremors into an earthquake—or fades into a political footnote—will define not just his future, but the county’s shifting political identity.
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