Former National Assembly Majority Whip Benjamin Washiali has thrown his hat into the ring for the 2027 Mumias East parliamentary race, vowing to reclaim what he calls “my rightful seat” from current MP Peter Salasya in a move that has electrified Kenya Kwanza supporters in Western Kenya. The Ruto ally made the bold declaration during a strategy meeting with local elders and youth leaders at a bustling hotel in Kakamega town on Sunday evening, setting the stage for a fierce intra-coalition battle.
Washiali, who represented Mumias East from 2013 to 2022 before losing to Salasya in a surprise upset, did not mince words about his intentions. “In 2027, nataka kuchukua kiti yangu kutoka kwa Peter Salasya. Sielewi vile huyu kijana ambaye mpaka sasa hajaoa alishinda hiyo kiti yangu,” the 52-year-old politician told the gathering of over 200 attendees, drawing laughter and nods from the crowd.
His remarks, quickly shared on WhatsApp groups across the constituency, highlight lingering bitterness from the 2022 polls, where Salasya’s Gen-Z appeal and social media savvy edged out Washiali’s established machinery.
The Benjamin Washiali-Peter Salasya bid marks a rare public rift within President William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza alliance, as both men claim loyalty to the ruling coalition. Washiali, now serving as a senior advisor in the Office of the President, positioned his challenge as a call for experienced leadership to deliver on Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda projects like sugar mill revamps and youth employment hubs.
“Peter is a good talker on TikTok, but Mumias East needs someone who knows how to push bills in Parliament and secure national funds. I did that for nine years,” he emphasised, referencing his role in passing the Finance Act amendments that boosted agricultural subsidies.
Supporters at the meeting, many wearing branded T-shirts emblazoned with “Washiali 2027: Experience Wins”, raised Sh1.5 million on the spot for preliminary campaign logistics. Local businesswoman Grace Omondi, 45, from Shirugu ward, praised Washiali’s track record.
“He brought piped water to our village and lobbied for the Mumias Sugar revival. Peter shouts about corruption but has not fixed one pothole on the Kakamega-Webuye road,” she said while contributing Sh50,000.
Peter Salasya, the outspoken Azimio-affiliated MP who has clashed with Ruto’s administration over tax hikes and police brutality, responded swiftly via a live Instagram session from his Nairobi home. “Mumias East chose me because they are tired of old politics. Benjamin can try, but whether voters know I’m a married man or not, I deliver for the youth. Let 2027 come,” the 38-year-old quipped, alluding to Washiali’s jab about his single status.
Political analysts view the Benjamin Washiali–Peter Salasya bid as a microcosm of broader tensions in Western Kenya, where Kenya Kwanza seeks to consolidate gains ahead of the 2027 polls.
“Washiali represents the establishment wing, backed by Ruto’s inner circle, while Salasya embodies the anti-establishment fire that nearly toppled the coalition in 2022,” said a University of Nairobi lecturer. He noted that Washiali’s nomination could split votes if Salasya defects back to ODM, potentially handing the seat to a third-party candidate.
Insiders in the campaign are rumoured to have received a Sh200 million war chest from sugar barons who are dissatisfied with Salasya’s vocal opposition to cane pricing reforms. Meanwhile, Salasya has ramped up community outreach by distributing school fee bursaries in Matungu and advocating for free JSS education in Parliament sessions.
As harambees and door-to-door drives kick off in earnest, Mumias East residents brace for a contest blending personal jabs with policy promises. Elders in Etenje village, who mediated past disputes between the two, called for unity to avoid derailing development projects like the proposed Sh5 billion irrigation scheme along the Yala River. “We need leaders who build bridges, not burn them over old grudges,” advised community patriarch Elias Shikuku.
The Benjamin Washiali-Peter Salasya bid promises to dominate local airwaves through 2026, testing Ruto’s ability to keep his coalition intact in a region pivotal to his re-election math. For now, the former whip’s return to the hustings signals that in Kenyan politics, no seat is ever truly lost, and every comeback starts with a crowd that remembers the good old days. With primaries looming, the sugar belt of Western Kenya watches closely as experience clashes with energy in what could become the 2027 cycle’s most entertaining showdown.