By Kepher Otieno - Reporter
Kenya, 10 May 2026 - The battle for the coveted United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ticket in Vihiga County has erupted into an early political showdown after Emuhaya MP Omboko Milemba dramatically dismissed claims that he had abandoned the race for governor, insisting instead that he was preparing for a bruising confrontation at the party primaries.
In remarks laced with confidence, defiance and unmistakable political theatre, Mr Milemba — popularly known as “Menga Mmoni” — declared himself firmly in the contest and accused rivals of orchestrating a propaganda campaign aimed at weakening his growing influence across the county.
“Let it be known clearly: I have not stepped down. I am fully in the race, energised and more determined than ever,” he proclaimed during an address at his Emuhaya parliamentary offices on Sunday.
The statement instantly injected fresh intensity into what is already shaping into one of the most fiercely contested gubernatorial races in western Kenya ahead of the 2027 General Election.
For months, speculation had circulated within local political circles that Mr Milemba, the outspoken National Chairman of the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers, could be persuaded to abandon the race in favour of a broader political arrangement within President William Ruto’s UDA party.
But the legislator’s latest intervention has not merely dismissed those rumours — it has transformed them into political ammunition.
“Every time a new name joins the race, it is only Milemba they say will step down,” he said with visible irritation.
“Why? Because I am the real threat.”
The remarks laid bare the growing tensions within the ruling party’s Vihiga power structure, where multiple heavyweight aspirants are now positioning themselves for what insiders predict could become an exceptionally bruising nomination battle.
Among those expected to contest the UDA ticket are former principal Kahi Indimuli, politician Beatrice Adagala and businessman Alfred Agoi, all seeking to inherit political influence in a county increasingly viewed as strategically significant within the broader western Kenya realignment.
Yet it is Milemba’s growing grassroots mobilisation that appears to have unsettled sections of the local political establishment.
A seasoned trade unionist with a reputation for combative politics and organisational discipline, the Emuhaya MP has spent recent months quietly consolidating support networks across the county while cultivating an image of himself as an outsider willing to confront entrenched interests.
His supporters portray him as a fearless reformist capable of disrupting traditional political hierarchies. Critics, however, accuse him of importing trade union militancy into an already volatile political environment.
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On Sunday, Mr Milemba appeared determined to embrace the confrontation rather than soften it.
“I’m not seeking shortcuts. I am ready to face anyone squarely at the UDA nominations,” he declared before adding in Swahili: “Haitakuwa rahisi” — it will not be easy.
Then came the line that instantly electrified his supporters.
“I am the indomitable lion back in the arena — calm, strategic, and fearless.”
Such rhetoric may sound theatrical, but within Kenya’s highly charged political culture it serves a deliberate purpose: projecting strength, inevitability and resilience in a race where perception often matters as much as numbers.
Political observers say Milemba’s decision to publicly harden his position reflects growing confidence that his appeal now stretches beyond his traditional support base in Emuhaya and into broader sections of Vihiga County.
But the path ahead remains perilous.
UDA’s internal contests have increasingly evolved into high-stakes political wars in which alliances shift rapidly and local rivalries frequently descend into bitter factional struggles. In Vihiga, where clan arithmetic, regional loyalties and elite bargaining remain deeply influential, the nomination process could prove as decisive as the general election itself.
For now, however, Milemba appears determined to cast himself as the insurgent candidate refusing to bow to pressure from political rivals or backroom negotiators.
“This is no longer politics as usual,” he warned.
And judging by the rising political temperature inside Vihiga’s UDA ranks, few would disagree.