Meet the GenZ daring to challenge Mauche's political order

“I want to fight for the community I live in,” are the words 22-year-old Mercy Chepkirui uses to open our interview.

Being the youngest aspirant seeking to unseat incumbent Mauche MCA Moses Koros Chepkurui claims to be frustrated by what she describes to be slowed development in the ward.

Her biggest frustration, she says in an interview with Mtaa Wangu, is that ECDE pupils in her area have to trek long distances, with some walking several kilometres to reach the nearest school.

The English literature trainee at Nakuru Teachers' Training College says her political awakening traces back to her early school years and a desire to see tangible change through leadership.

“Growing up, I hardly saw and still don’t see any changes in my community. So I was like, what's going on? Is it that we don’t have good leaders? I asked and, without a convincing answer, decided that one day, one time, I will come and fight for this community," she says.

Facing competition from more than nine aspirants with significant political influence and the financial muscle to mount formidable campaigns, Chepkirui says she remains undeterred. She is banking on securing the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ticket for the Mauche seat, where she will face a crowded field that includes incumbent Koros, who is seeking a second term after winning the seat in the 2022 General Election.

She insists her age and inexperience will not be a disadvantage.

“In fact, I am the only woman and the youngest among the aspirants, but I cannot give up,” she says, adding that her bid is driven by a desire to improve the lives of residents.

She says reducing the distance ECDE pupils travel to school is among her priorities, noting that erratic weather continues to disrupt learning and inconvenience both children and their parents. If elected, she says she will focus on improving road infrastructure, addressing insecurity, expanding household electrification and ensuring equitable distribution of bursaries, which she claims have been monopolised by a few individuals.

Political commentator and fellow Mauche aspirant Joseph Maritim, who has himself vied for the seat since 2017, believes Chepkirui faces an uphill task.

“She’s new in politics, and there is also the perception that she’s too young,” Maritim says. “In Mauche, young people are often not taken seriously when it comes to politics, and her campaign is definitely facing a financing challenge.” He says.

Maritim, however, is quick to clarify that these challenges are not rooted in culture or ethnicity, but rather in Mauche's voting patterns, where political experience, age and the financial demands of campaigning often shape voters' decisions.

He also points to a generational gap in her support base, noting that Mauche's electorate largely comprises middle-aged voters. At the same time, many Gen Z residents remain unregistered and, in his view, have yet to take elections seriously.

“She doesn't have the Gen Z support base yet, and she needs to build it. She's also not charismatic on the campaign trail and tends to come across as reserved. She may not win in 2027, but if she continues with grassroots politics, by 2032 she'll have gained more political experience and stand a better chance,” Maritim says.

Asked whether Mauche has previously elected or fielded young candidates, Maritim says the ward has historically favoured older, more experienced politicians, with youth rarely emerging as a defining feature of its politics.

Maritim also points to what he sees as a consistent voting pattern across all three election cycles, saying Mauche has repeatedly backed candidates from the ruling party of the day.

“In 2013, there was TNA. In 2017, there was a Jubilee. In 2022, it was UDA,” he says.

He describes the ward as a staunch UDA stronghold, adding that ODM would only become a viable alternative because of the Kenya Kwanza–ODM broad-based political arrangement.

Beyond party affiliation, Maritim notes that no MCA elected in Mauche since the pre-devolution local authority era has ever secured a second term.