We Used to Win Elections — Then Someone Named Chirchir Would Steal Them — Gladys Wanga

Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga has revisited Kenya’s turbulent opposition political history reflecting on the CORD and NASA coalitions and raising fresh claims about alleged interference in past election results transmission and announcement processes.

Speaking in a politically charged recollection of the opposition years Wanga said that during the height of the CORD and NASA alliances where different worked together the opposition often felt confident of victory at the ballot box only for the final outcomes to spark controversy and disappointment.

When we were in CORD and NASA together with Weta and Musalia we used to win elections and we kept asking why we weren’t being announced Wanga said.

And we were told it was because of Chirchir she added making reference to then key electoral technology and systems oversight.

Her remarks point back to the highly contested electoral periods of 2013 and 2017 when opposition coalitions strongly challenged presidential results announced by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.

Those elections were marked by court petitions, accusations of technological manipulation and public protests over transparency in vote transmission.

Wanga’s comments reflect long-standing frustrations within opposition circles regarding the credibility of electoral systems and the perceived gap between ground-level voting patterns and official results declared at national tallying centers.

The mention of Chirchir appears to reference concerns raised in political discourse at the time about the role of individuals linked to electoral ICT systems and infrastructure which opposition leaders argued could influence the transmission or verification of results.

These claims however have historically remained politically contested and not conclusively proven in court or through official investigations.

Her remarks come at a time when Kenya continues to debate electoral reforms, digital transmission of results and the independence of institutions responsible for managing elections.

Calls for greater transparency, real time verification and stronger safeguards in electoral technology remain central themes in national political discussions.

Wanga’s reflection also underscores the emotional weight of Kenya’s opposition politics over the past decade where coalition building electoral trust and institutional credibility have often shaped the country’s democratic journey.

As political temperatures gradually rise ahead of future elections such recollections are likely to reignite debate on electoral integrity, past grievances and the reforms still demanded by various political actors across the spectrum.