Dr Erick Mutai, one of the aspirants eyeing the Kericho governor seat was moved to tears in Litein town on Saturday night by his supporters who offered to give him handouts to support his campaigns.
In the Kenyan political arena, the politician visits an area and before they leave, people gathered to listen to them must get some handouts of between Sh 50 and Sh 100.
The handouts are normally seen as an appreciation to the ‘ground’ for giving them an ear.
For the lecturer and first-time politician eyeing to replace the outgoing Kericho Governor, the reverse happened.
“A sea of humanity turned up in Litein town to welcome and engage us this evening,” Dr Mutai said.
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Dr Mutai was campaigning and traversing the county for the better part of Saturday. His campaigns ran into the night and he found himself at Litein town at around 9 pm that night.
Shortly after articulating his vision of addressing water challenges, upgrade of trading centres’ infrastructure, support to MSMEs, his supporters mobilised themselves and started fundraising in small shopping bags.
“I was truly humbled and blessed by the hustlers who spontaneously fundraised to finance my campaign. (Kongoi missing bikyok) Thank you so much our people,” he posted on his official Facebook page shortly after.
In a short clip making rounds on social media, supporters of the university don are seen scrambling to part with either Sh 50 or Sh100 notes to support his quest for Kericho’s top seat.
During his campaign trail, Mutai told Litein town residents that he had no money for campaigns against his competitors, some of whom are well-established politicians and civil servants.
“If elected, I will make a difference and ensure that the poor are on the same level as the rich in my leadership. I will ensure the doors of the county top office are wide open for all where those with teething problems will be given a hearing,” Mutai said.
However, efforts by The Standard to reach Mutai for a comment the whole of Sunday was futile. His phone was unreachable.
Mutai is barely in his forties and has given established personalities eyeing the Kericho Governor seat a run for their money.
While making a debut in politics, the Embu University literature and communications lecturer has been considered a front runner in the race to succeed Governor Paul Chepkwony.
Kericho voters awed by Mutai’s campaigns and who support his bid have nicknamed him the ‘equaliser’ a term coined to resound his call for justice, fairness and equity.
“I was branded ‘Equaliser’ because I’ve always told the people that for every decision I make, I will be guided by justice, fairness and equity,” the father of two, who is also a devolution consultant, said.
“It’s also an assurance to the people that I’ll lift the poor from their current situation in the perfect mould of the bottom-up economic model if I win the seat,” added the don, who is depending on well-wishers to fund his campaigns.
On why he wants to be governor, Dr Mutai once said: “The people had a discussion with me in those town hall meetings and I listened to them. They told me I’d serve them better as their governor. This didn’t take me by surprise as I had similar thoughts. I’ll call it a coincidence.”
He has been giving veteran politicians, like former Devolution Cabinet secretary Charles Keter, who now calls himself the ‘Transformer’.
Other candidates in the race are Lily Ng’ok, the current deputy governor, and Fred Kirui.
