Joel Maina Kairu has become a household name in Nakuru.
This is a man who is on a political mission to unseat Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika.
Kairu as he is commonly known among Nakuru residents is not new on matters politics.
He served as Chief Executive in-charge of Roads and infrastructure during the first regime of the Nakuru County.
During this time, the current governor Susan Kihika was the speaker of the county Assembly of Nakuru.
Kairu later served as the second Speaker County Assembly of Nakuru during the second county government of Nakuru under the then Governor Lee Kinyanjui.
In 2022, he declared interest for the Nakuru Town East Parliamentary seat.
He unsuccessfully contested the seat and came number two in the polls that were very competitive.
At one particular time, when the results were announced, Kairu was not ready to accept in what he termed as the winner the current MP David Gikaria had not won in clean way.
It is a move that saw delayed issuance of certificate to Gikaria at the Kenya Industrial Training Institute (KITI).
However after some consultations, the certificate was issued to Gikaria who had won with a small margin from his competitor Kairu.
It should be noted that this was the first time that Kairu was making an aim at the Nakuru Gubernatorial seat on Jubilee Ticket under Azimio Coalition.
A close ally of retired President and leader of Jubilee Party Uhuru Kenyatta, political pundits argue that the move by Kairu to declare interest in the Nakuru Gubernatorial seat come 2027, might be having the blessings of Uhuru Kenyatta.
Sources have it that Kairu is in close closed discussions with Uhuru Kenyatta even as he shapes his political space in Nakuru.
His political journey from CECM, Speaker to MP aspirant and now eyeing the gubernatorial seat, has been a clean one with bi scandals.
Political pundits argue that this clean political journey might give him a mileage in his ambition to become the next Nakuru Governor.
Kairu will be battling it out with CPA Geoffrey Mwangi of DCP and incumbent Governor Susan Kihika who will be defending the seat.