As the curtains close on campaigns for the November 27 by-elections, candidates in Magarini constituency in Kilifi County are hopeful that they have convinced voters of their capability to sort out the myriad challenges facing the constituency in Kilifi County.
Unlike many other by-elections in the country, which resulted from the deaths of incumbent leaders or the nomination of politicians to the Cabinet, the Magarini by-election was triggered by the nullification of the 2022 election results at the Supreme Court.
The court nullified the victory of ODM's Harrison Kombe, who had been announced winner by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) with 11,946 votes against UDA's Stanley Kenga, who got 11,925, due to irregularities.
ODM candidate in the Magarini parliamentary seat by-election Harrison Kombe during a campaign rally in the constituency November 2, 2025.
Photo credit: Kevin Odit | Nation Media Group
In Magarini, one of the impoverished areas of Kilifi County, residents face historical challenges that include lack of clean water, human-wildlife conflicts, land disputes, poor health services, a cycle of drought and floods that cause constant hunger, and poor education infrastructure.
In recent years, the county government of Kilifi together with well-wishers made efforts to set up solar-powered boreholes to deal with perennial water shortages. However, erratic rainfall has often rendered the projects idle.
At the Machine borehole in Mpirani village, Ms Agnes Kahindi, a mother of five children, revealed that she spends the night waiting for the water to refill. The Machine borehole is among those supposed to be solar-powered. Water was expected to be pumped into the tank and then directed to the taps for the community to fetch.
In the financial year 2019/2020, the county government of Kilifi constructed a water kiosk and installed solar panels. However, it stopped functioning because the water levels of the boreholes were low.
Wiper Patriotic Front leader Kalonzo Musyoka with DCP candidate for Magarini constituency by-election Stanley Kenga arrive at at Marereni Centre, in Adu Ward for a campaign rally.
Photo credit: Pool
Over the years, Magarini has been synonymous with hunger in Kilifi County. The floods that hit Magarini during heavy rains in 2024 affected crops production, and, this year, the area has not received enough rainfall for agriculture.
During a Food Security Assessment early this year, Kilifi County Commissioner, Mr Josephat Biwott said Ganze, Kaloleni, some parts of Malindi and Magarini were affected by hunger.
Kilifi County Drought Coordinator Mr Bakari Mwachakure said irrigation farming was the long-term solution for hunger since the county has always received erratic rains that do not sustain food production and water for the community. He added that due to the effects of climate change, the rains are unpredictable and the current design period of the existing water pans and dams is normally surpassed.
The climatic effects have also been cited as a major cause of human-wildlife conflicts facing the area. Magarini residents raised fears over the growing population of hippos in the Sabaki-Galana River.
During the drought and low-rain seasons, when the river has little water, the hippos always camp in the muddy Sabaki Estuary. However, during the rains, the hippos come out in large numbers, invading farms and attacking people.
Mr Emmanuel Nzai from Langobaya village in Jilore ward said the high poverty rate, unreliable rains and climate change have caused the community to depend on seasonal Lake Jilore and River Sabaki-Galana for farming.
“Because of poverty and climate change we cannot farm in areas far from the river because of the need for enough water for our crops but recently we were informed about the new directives protecting the hippopotamus that is dangerous to us,” he said.
Just like several other areas in the Coast region, Magarini residents face unresolved land ownership disputes. Hundreds live as squatters on pieces of land that they fear losing to absentee landlords for lack of title deeds.
ODM national chairperson Gladys Wanga (left), Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir (centre) and Malindi MP Amina Mnyazi campaign for the party's candidate in the Magarini by-election Harrison Kombe during a campaign rally in the constituency November 2, 2025.
The expansive Chakama ranch, which became popular after attracting suspected cult movements in Shakahola and Kwa Bi Nzaro areas, is partly within this constituency. It extends from Chakama in Magarini sub-county to Vitengeni, Bamba, Mrima wa Ndege and Mwaeba in Ganze sub-county.
The 110,000 acres include Phases 1 and 2, which are the major settlement schemes with approximately 50,000 acres. The current Phase 3 is under adjudication, while the rest of the land that extends to Shakahola has not been adjudicated.
Authorities say uncontrolled settlement by squatters in this land is partly to blame for the deaths witnessed in Shakahola and Kwa Bi Nzaro.
According to county education officials, Magarini is also one of Kilifi's vast areas in dire need of additional Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) schools. Children walk for long distances, over 7 kilometres, to the nearest school.
A similar fate faces the health sector, with calls by communities for the construction of more dispensaries that are fully equipped and staffed. At the remote Kilulu village bordering the Tsavo East National Park in Marafa ward, the nearest health facility from Kilulu trading centre is Chamari dispensary, and it costs Sh500 per person on a boda boda one way.
Alternatively, the community seeks health services at the Sosoni dispensary, and they pay Sh400 per person on a boda boda. They also go to the Mulunguni dispensary, which costs them Sh250 per person on a boda boda.
“There is a church based dispensary but it is not helping us that much because sometimes there are no medics,” Kilulu Nyumba Kumi Ambassador Mr Bonface Tito said.
He added that they seek critical treatment at the Marafa Health Centre, paying Sh800 per person on a boda boda. Kilulu residents also trek over 40 kilometres to the Marafa police station, which is the nearest.
The IEBC cleared 10 aspirants for the Magarini by-election. Mr Kombe, who made a comeback in 2022 after losing the seat to Michael Kingi in 2017, is banking on projects he says he had initiated before his victory was annulled by the Supreme Court.
ODM national chairperson Gladys Wanga (left) with the party's candidate in the Magarini parliamentary seat by-election Harrison Kombe during a campaign rally in the constituency November 2, 2025.
Photo credit: Kevin Odit | Nation Media Group
Since 2007, Magarini has consistently voted in ODM legislators except in 2013 when Mr Kombe won through URP. His candidature has this time received the support of UDA and Kenya Kwanza affiliate parties following the broad-based arrangement by President William Ruto and former ODM leader the late Raila Odinga.
In his campaigns, Mr Kombe said that his development agenda had been delayed because he was out of office. According to him, the Magarini Kenya Medical Training Centre (KMTC) in the Shakadulo area would have been completed.
Also, the Magarini Agricultural Institute in Ramada in Garashi ward and a sports academy in Galukani near the Galana Teachers Training College (TTC), among other infrastructure projects, have been delayed. He added that four classrooms at Marekebuni did not commence despite the availability of money due to challenges in the procurement process.
Mr Kenga, who defected to former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua's Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) after UDA's withdrawal from the race, has based his campaign on youthfulness, integrity and the need for change in developing the area. The politician was elected Adu Councillor in 2007, Adu Member of the County Assembly in 2013 and re-elected in 2017 under the ODM party.
He served as the Kilifi County Assembly Deputy Speaker in 2017 before defecting to UDA, which he used to vie for the MP position in 2022, only losing by 21 votes.
Mr Kenga rejected advances by the Kenya Kwanza government to support Mr Kombe in the by-election, with revelations by several leaders indicating that he had been promised a job appointment in government.
“We are not in politics to do business. I believe that everyone has a right to participate in elections as a voter or candidate. I have decided to participate in the Magarini by-election,” he said, in an earlier interview.
Wiper Patriotic Front leader Kalonzo Musyoka with DCP candidate for Magarini constituency by-election Stanley Kenga arrive at Gongoni Centre for a campaign rally.
Photo credit: Pool
Other candidates in the race are Mr Furaha Chengo Ngumbao of the Democratic National Alliance (DNA), Roots Party of Kenya (RPK) candidate Mr Hamadi Chadi Karisa, Reverend John Sulubu Masha of Kenya Social Congress, Mr Emmanuel Kitsao Kalama of The We Alliance Party (TWAP), Mr Amos Katana, an independent candidate, Ms Sarah Wahito Gakahu of Kenya Moja Movement, and Federal Party of Kenya (FPK) candidate Mr Jacob Themo Kwicha.
Political analyst Mr Kazungu Katana said that despite the high expectations from citizens, the Magarini by-election campaigns have unfortunately not reflected development-oriented politics.
“The campaign at Magarini is not about development; rather, it is about Kilifi County politicians seeking favours from above. These leaders want to reap where they never sowed in Magarini,” Mr Kazungu said.
Wiper Democratic Movement Kenya aspirant Mr Samwel Kombe Nzai and his Pamoja African Alliance (PAA) counterpart Michael Kingi dropped out of the race to support Mr Kenga and Mr Kombe respectively. Mr Kingi was recently appointed as a commissioner at the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC).
