Armed with a booklet that tallies his campaign promises against what he says has been delivered, Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi has asked voters for a second term to "complete the work".

Speaking to residents of Kamenu ward in Thika Town constituency, the governor laid out his scorecard ahead of the 2027 General Election, according to The Star.

"When 2027 comes, I will come to request you to vote for me so that we can complete the work," Wamatangi said. "You elected me in 2022."

The governor's scorecard

Wamatangi's claims, which have not been independently verified, centred on education and health:

  • Nursery (ECDE) enrolment has grown from about 30,000 children in 2022 to 52,000, an increase of more than 22,000
  • His administration has taken on the construction of 26 hospitals across the county
  • Gatuanyaga and Munyu hospitals are under construction, work at Maguguni is progressing and Ngoliba is complete

"For three years that Wamatangi has been at the helm, we have 52,000 children in schools," he told the crowd.

His administration has previously promoted its record through multi-page newspaper supplements, which critics have questioned.

A changed political landscape

The pitch comes at a delicate time for Wamatangi. He was elected on a UDA ticket in 2022 but has since fallen out with the ruling party. The Nation has reported that he accuses the State of using graft cases to derail him and that he plans to unveil a new political vehicle for 2027 in December.

In April 2025, Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission detectives searched his Kabete home as part of an investigation into procurement in the county. He has denied wrongdoing.

He would join a growing list of Mt Kenya governors who have left UDA, including Murang'a's Irungu Kang'ata and Nyandarua's Kiarie Badilisha.

A crowded Kiambu race

Kiambu, Kenya's second most populous county, is expected to host one of the most fiercely contested governor races in Mt Kenya. Thika Town MP Alice Ng'ang'a has been touted by a section of Kiambu MPs as their preferred candidate, according to The Standard.

Wamatangi's message in Kamenu suggested he will run on development rather than party loyalty, a strategy several Mt Kenya governors appear to be adopting as UDA's grip on the region weakens.

Kiambu is also among the 17 counties that the doctors' union KMPDU has threatened with a strike from November 25 over unimplemented salary adjustments, an issue his rivals are likely to raise as the campaign heats up.

Photos: The Star / Handout (Wamatangi addressing Kamenu ward residents); The Star (Governor Wamatangi, file). Thumbnail design: HAMASTA MEDIA.