The political landscape of the Gusii region is becoming more complex ahead of the August 2027 General Election with the latest move being the launch of United Super Alliance Party (USAP) led by former Kisii Governor James Ongwae.
While Mr Ongwae has not come clearly to state which seat he will be vying for or which political formation he intends to work with ahead of 2027, the launch injects a fresh dynamic contest into a region that is already heavily fragmented and fiercely contested by established political giants.
Currently, the local turf plays host to the Jubilee Party, whose leader is former powerful Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang’i, ODM, where Kisii Governor Simba Arati is the deputy party leader and former South Mugirango MP Omingo Magara’s Peoples Democratic Party.
The political situation in the region is further complicated by the presence of President William Ruto’s UDA and the United Progressive Alliance, a party associated with Nyamira Governor Amos Nyaribo.
But even as this unfolds, Mr Ongwae has come out guns blazing to assert his political autonomy, refuting claims that he is operating as a puppet for external forces.
Universal Service Advisory Council (USAC) Chairman James Ongwae makes his remarks during the launch of the Universal Service Fund Strategy 2023-2027 on May 20, 2025 at Villa Rosa Kempinski.
Photo credit: File | Nation
“Leadership is about having principles. A leader must have a vision and principles that will endure for all time and must always be true to these principles, applying them to changing circumstances,” says Mr Ongwae.
According to the former governor, his party “envisions a Kenya where wealth is shared equitably, basic needs are accessible to every citizen and democratic participation serves as the foundation of governance.”
“USAP champions a society that prioritises people over profit, community over individualism and justice over privilege,” says the former governor.
However, city lawyer and political analyst David Ochami argues that Mr Ongwae’s party could be among those primed to cause “confusion” in some regions ahead of the 2027 elections.
“He has just emerged from nowhere with a party. This is simply a vehicle created for him to disrupt and confuse the voting patterns in the Gusii region,” says Mr Ochami.
This is a claim the former governor dismisses. Emphasising that he is his own man, the veteran administrator maintains that the party is a serious national vehicle rather than a local outfit targeting the Gusii region.
While he has kept his cards close to his chest by refusing to declare which specific seat he will vie for in the August 2027 General Election, he announced that the party is actively structuring itself to sponsor candidates for various elective positions across the country.
“Governance starts from the county assembly to the National Assembly and the Senate. If I can contribute in ensuring that the people that are given those positions fight for Kenyans at all levels, that would be my job,” says Mr Ongwae.
James Ongwae on February 18, 2022.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
So, which position is he interested in ahead of 2027?
“Basically, I will wait,” he says.
With his eyes firmly on the high-stakes 2027 contest, the former governor acknowledged the practical realities of Kenyan politics, conceding that his party may not necessarily go it alone at the ballot.
Mr Ongwae said any formal alliances will strictly be subjected to vetting and ratification by the party’s National Delegates Conference scheduled for end of this year.
“We have not indicated our alignment. So at the right time, towards the end of the year, the alignment will come out,” he said after we sought to know whether he is warming up to President William Ruto or the opposition.
The former governor also denied claims that he is strategically placing himself for negotiations to bag a political position in the next.
Mr Ongwae boasts a distinguished career in public service, having risen through the ranks to serve as a Permanent Secretary during the President Mwai Kibaki administration.
He was Chief Management Analyst in the office of the President for a number of years, rising to become the first programme director of the Kenya civil service reform programme.
He would later become a Permanent Secretary and Director of Personnel Management in the Office of the President, in charge of public service management.
“Those days, public service management was not being done by the Public Service Commission,” he said.
Former Kisii Governor James Ongwae.
Photo credit: Dennis Onsongo | Nation Media Group
When Kibaki took over in 2002, Mr Ongwae was appointed as the secretary and CEO of the Teachers Service Commission before he was transferred to the Ministry of Agriculture as a Permanent Secretary.
“After that, I retired,” he says.
However, he lost his job during the reorganisation of the Kibaki administration, after the government side lost the 2005 referendum to the camp led by Raila Odinga.
When Raila Odinga became Prime Minister, he appointed Mr Ongwae as his chief presidential campaign manager ahead of the 2013 general election.
After steering the national campaign for nearly two years, Mr Ongwae turned to local politics, successfully contesting the Kisii governorship, a seat he won and held for two consecutive terms of five years until 2022.
“And so after that, I'm out here,” he says.
So, what made him decide to go back to politics after more than four years of retiring as governor?
“After being out for the last four and a half years, I've been able to see this country and its governance. I feel that I have a contribution to make. If you look at my history, I spent all my life in governance. Public sector reform means a lot to government institutions,” he says, adding that he hopes to play his role to fill the gaps he has noticed in the quest for a better country.
