Kajiado Governor Joseph Ole Lenku has officially announced his candidacy to succeed Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru as chairperson of the Council of Governors (COG).
The governors’ lobby is set to hold an extraordinary general meeting on October 6 to elect new officials, marking the end of the current two-year, non-renewable term. Governor Waiguru was elected chair in 2022, with Ahmed Abdullahi of Wajir serving as her deputy and Stephen Sang of Nandi as chief whip.
Both Governor Lenku and Governor Waiguru expressed interest in the chairmanship back in 2022, but negotiations led to Waiguru’s nomination without a vote, as Lenku stepped aside to allow the COG to have its first female chairperson. Now, he is eager to reclaim a position he had initially sought in the last election cycle, having recently secured a second term after a tightly contested race against United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate Katoo Ole Metito, who now serves as the State House Comptroller.
“Yes, I am running for the COG position again. The tenure of the current leadership has come to an end, and a new team will be elected,” Lenku confirmed.
While he remained tight-lipped about the specifics of his campaign, he indicated that he would engage in face-to-face meetings to garner support from his fellow governors. “In COG, our leaders are nominated through consultation. We assess various candidates and reach a consensus based on who can advance the lobby,” he stated.
Lenku’s candidacy has ignited discussions regarding the COG, especially as counties grapple with delayed payments from the National Treasury, creating unrest in the devolved units.
He will be competing against Ahmed Abdullahi, who currently serves as Waiguru’s deputy and is seeking a promotion to chairmanship, as well as Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga, a strong ally of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who is also eyeing the COG chair.