By GPC Reporter
For years, James Gichana, popularly known as Omoiberania, has been accustomed to asking questions, challenging public officials and giving ordinary people a platform to air their concerns.
Now, he is contemplating a different kind of public engagement: seeking the trust of voters and representing Nyamira County in the Senate.
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The Egessa FM journalist is positioning himself for the 2027 General Election, in what could mark a significant shift from media to elective politics.
If he takes the plunge, Gichana will be entering a political arena where familiarity with public affairs may count for something, but where winning the confidence of voters across the county will ultimately determine his fortunes.
He believes his years in broadcasting have given him a useful understanding of the systems, institutions and governance questions that shape public life.
“You don’t just ask questions but first seek to understand the procedure and rules that govern the game,” he said, arguing that journalism has exposed him to the scrutiny of public documents, processes and government institutions.
For him, the Senate offers an opportunity to turn that experience into a more direct role in public accountability.
“Nyamira needs more accountability. We need to move from talk to delivering for our people. It is time for a new conversation,” he said.
Gichana’s ambitions are emerging as political interest in the county’s Senate seat gathers momentum ahead of the 2027 polls.
Incumbent Senator Erick Okong’o Omogeni, who has held the position since 2013, is expected to defend his seat, while lawyer Tony Mogeni and other aspirants, including Adams Mochenwa, are also associated with the emerging contest.
The prospect of a broadcaster joining the race introduces another dimension to a contest likely to revolve around leadership, accountability, poverty, unemployment and the distribution of national resources.
For Omogeni, the campaign will offer an opportunity to present his record and seek another mandate.
For challengers such as Gichana, the task will be to convince voters that they can offer a different approach to representing the county.
The Senate, however, is not a development office, a distinction that could become important as aspirants explain what they intend to accomplish if elected.
Its constitutional responsibilities include representing counties, participating in law-making, determining the allocation of national revenue among counties and exercising oversight over national revenue allocated to county governments.
Gichana appears particularly interested in the oversight function, which places senators at the centre of efforts to ensure county resources are properly accounted for.
His experience in the media could provide an entry point into these conversations, although the transition from questioning politicians to becoming one will come with its own demands.
He will have to build a political network, establish a presence in all four constituencies of Nyamira and demonstrate that his ambitions extend beyond the visibility that comes with broadcasting.
The political environment is also taking shape against a backdrop of wider realignments in the Gusii region, with parties and individual politicians positioning themselves ahead of the next electoral cycle.
Gichana has previously been linked to the People Congress Party (PCP), reported among the party’s founding members in December 2025, an indication of his interest in the political organisation beyond his broadcasting career.
Whether he will make the plunge, and whether that association will define his eventual political vehicle remains to be seen.
