With the official campaign period about to start, focus now shifts to the Makueni Senate seat, which Governor Kivutha Kibwana will be contesting against a host of rivals.

It will be interesting to see how Prof Kibwana wards off stiff competition from a host of competitors among them Makueni MP Dan Maanzo, businessman Patrick Mbau, former committee executive member in the Kibwana's administration Robert Kisyula, and Victor Kioko, who will contest on Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) ticket.

Kibwana will vie on his Muungano party, Maanzo (Wiper), Mbau (Narc-Kenya) and Kisyula will fly the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ticket.

Local pundits say both Kibwana and Maanzo should brace for a tough contest, especially from Mbau who enjoys the support of the youth and women.

Mbau's fortunes have increased after Martha Karua was nominated as Raila Odinga's running mate in the Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya Alliance.

"The voting pattern is likely to change. It has been like leadership is for the aged but now we will elect leaders who stand for development and will not consider kingpins and parties," said Mbau.

The businessman, who is viewed as a frontrunner, believes voting based on euphoria is exploitation of voters since those they elect just become cheerleaders of party leaders.

"Big names vying for presidency tend to camp at the grassroots to convince voters to elect those in their parties, and this way people are deprived of their democratic right and end up electing leaders who can’t work for them," said Mbau.

"We want to change this narrative, and that’s why I am campaigning as a person with ideologies for a change."

The Narc-Kenya candidate is challenging Kibwana to go for a bigger national seat to pave way for younger politicians.

"I want to remind our people that parties don’t make laws, drill water or bring any development, it is the development-conscious leaders we elect who perform those functions," he said.

But Kibwana said he will win the seat based on his development record as governor.

"The number three position in Azimio-to-be government is ours and we will not leave it go. We have declared to stay in that alliance," Prof Kibwana said. 

The areas the top contenders come from, their political past, party affiliation and the youth factor may dictate who wins in Makueni.

Maanzo, who is serving his second term, is from the drier countryside of Kanthuni, in the larger Makueni Constituency which has 91,227 registered voters.

Prof Kibwana is from Mwanyani, on the upper side of Kibwezi West Constituency which has 81,426 voters while Mbau comes from Kaiti constituency, which has the least number of registered voters at 58,303 according to data from the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

As the race hots up, Kibwana has maintained a tight campaign schedule traversing the county in search of votes while commissioning projects ranging from water points, dispensaries and roads.

He has been wooing electorates to consider his candidature as 'critical' in protecting fruits of devolution.

"The Senate needs people who have the knowledge to make laws, approve Bills and ensure more resources go to the counties," Kibwana has been saying in his meet-the-people tours. - Stephen Nzioka, The Standard