By Robert Mutasi 
Political activity around the Uasin Gishu Senate seat is beginning to intensify ahead of the 2027 General Election, with several aspirants positioning themselves to challenge incumbent Senator Jackson Mandago.
Mandago, who served as Uasin Gishu’s first governor from 2013 to 2022, moved to the Senate after completing two terms at the county’s helm. He won the Senate seat in the 2022 General Election on a United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ticket.
He has since served as chairperson of the Senate Standing Committee on Health, a position he retained in 2025.
Speaking about the coming election, Mandago said the decision would ultimately rest with voters.
“When elections come, the great people of Uasin Gishu will decide,” he said.
Among those preparing to challenge him is former Uasin Gishu County Assembly Speaker Isaac Terer, who has declared his intention to seek the Senate seat and is building his campaign ahead of the UDA nominations.
Terer has criticised Mandago’s record and said he would pursue a different approach if elected.
“I have a clear plan, vision and will to serve the people of Uasin Gishu more efficiently and effectively than has been the case under Mandago,” Terer said.
The former county assembly speaker has questioned what he describes as inadequate oversight of county development programmes. He has also accused Mandago of failing to provide leadership that adequately brings together Uasin Gishu’s different communities.
Terer said he would seek to make the Senate office more accessible by establishing offices at subcounty and ward levels. He said the offices would enable residents to engage more directly with the senator and monitor the implementation of development programmes.
He has also placed devolution and county financing among his campaign priorities.
“There should have been a deliberate effort to push for more funding for Uasin Gishu after Eldoret was elevated to a city status,” Terer said.
Mandago, meanwhile, has continued to take part in Senate oversight activities through his role on the Health Committee. Parliamentary records show that the committee, under his chairmanship, has conducted oversight visits to several counties and examined issues including staffing, equipment, medicines and service delivery in public health facilities.
The contest is also likely to bring renewed attention to projects initiated during Mandago’s tenure as governor. Terer and other critics have questioned the status of several county projects, including Level 4 hospitals in Ziwa, Kesses, Moiben and Turbo, as well as sports facilities such as the 64 Stadium and Chagaiya High Altitude Training Centre.
Supporters of Mandago point to his previous experience as governor and his current role in the Senate as evidence of his political influence. His critics, however, argue that residents should assess his record as senator and demand greater attention to county interests.
The emerging contest is also taking place within wider political realignments in Uasin Gishu. Governor Jonathan Bii has previously publicly backed Terer for the Senate seat, adding another dimension to the political competition ahead of the 2027 polls.
Other names linked to the Senate contest include businessman Victor Chepkelat and Kipchumba Isaac Nyongiot, popularly known as the “Tuk-Tuk candidate.”
With party nominations still ahead, the field remains subject to change as more aspirants declare their intentions and parties begin preparations for the 2027 election.