Joseph Ole Lenku declares bid to succeed Anne Waiguru at Council of Governors

Kajiado Governor Joseph Ole Lenku has thrown his hat into the ring to succeed Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru as chairperson of the Council of Governors (COG).

The governors' lobby is scheduled to hold an extraordinary general meeting on 6 October to elect new officials at the end of the two-year non-renewable term.

Governor Waiguru was elected chairperson in 2022 with Ahmed Abdullahi of Wajir as her deputy and Stephen Sang of Nandi as chief whip.

At the time, Governor Lenku and Ms Waiguru had expressed interest in chairing the COG, but Ms Waiguru was nominated without a vote after all-night negotiations that led to Mr Lenku stepping down to give the COG its first female chairperson.

Mr Lenku has confirmed that he has indeed put in his bid for the seat he had been eyeing for 2022, immediately after surprisingly securing a second term in a tightly contested re-election battle that saw him defeat United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate Katoo Ole Metito, now State House Comptroller.

"Yes. I am seeking the COG position for the second time. The tenure of the team we allowed to serve two years ago has come to an end. A new team is coming in," Mr Lenku said.

Read: Ruto, Gachagua factions battle at CoG polls to replace Waiguru

The governor did not divulge many details about his candidature, but revealed that he would be seeking support from his colleagues in face-to-face meetings.

"In COG, our leaders are nominated through consultation. We look at different candidates and come to a consensus. That consensus is determined by how many colleagues you convince that you will take the lobby forward," he said curtly.

Lenku's candidature has sparked debate about the COG and comes at a time when counties are reeling from late payments from the National Treasury, leading to unrest in the devolved units.

The governor will now face off against Wajir's Ahmed Abdullahi, who serves as Waiguru's deputy but is now seeking promotion to the chairmanship.

Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga, a staunch supporter of embattled Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, is also eyeing the CoG chairmanship.