The recent opinion poll by Channel 15 Digital placing Dr Irene Kasalu firmly ahead in the Kitui 2027 gubernatorial race has sent ripples through the county’s entrenched political establishment. Known colloquially as the “Kitui Mafias”—a loosely-knit group of political and economic elites—these power players have historically pulled strings behind the scenes, resisting any serious challenge to the male-dominated status quo.
Yet, if the poll is anything to go by, the people of Kitui seem increasingly ready for a different kind of leadership—one that breaks from patriarchal politics and embraces inclusivity, accountability, and development-oriented governance.
Globally, women-led governments have proven to be efficient, transformative, and people-centered. From Jacinda Ardern’s empathetic leadership in New Zealand to Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s stabilizing influence in Liberia, the evidence is clear: when women lead, societies tend to flourish.
Closer home, counties like Kitui have seen powerful women like Charity Ngilu prove that it’s not just about occupying office—it’s about delivering. Her administration, though controversial, earned praise for revamping health services, infrastructure, and water provision. Irene Kasalu, with her wide grassroots network and legislative experience, is seen by many as poised to build on that legacy.
Even Pope Francis has acknowledged the power of women leadership, once stating: “When women are in charge, there are often changes for the better.” This global affirmation resonates deeply in a society like Kitui’s, where the political glass ceiling has yet to be fully shattered.
What makes Kasalu’s growing popularity even more threatening to the old guard is not just her gender—it’s her competence, her humility, and her ability to inspire a groundswell of support without relying on the toxic political patronage that fuels Kitui’s male-dominated camps.
The fear among Kitui mafias is not unfounded: a woman in control might mean the end of backroom deals, unchecked influence, and the entrenchment of political dynasties. A Kasalu governorship would likely open the county’s governance to new voices—especially youth and women—threatening the very core of Kitui’s shadowy political networks.
But to many ordinary Kitui residents, that’s not a threat—it’s hope.
