By Betty Luke
Former Nairobi Majority Leader and Spring Valley/Matopeni MCA Abdi Ibrahim Guyo has been declared the Isiolo Governor elect becoming the first ward representative to clinch Governor seat in Kenyan history.
Mr Guyo who is the first Jubilee Governor to be elected in the just concluded August 9 elections whose tallying in some areas is underway won the seat with 28, 926 votes against his closest competitor; former Governor Godana Doyo who garnered 26, 270 votes.
Former EACC boss and ODM candidate Halakhe Waqo, who has since conceded defeat, came third with 2, 249 votes.
He has congratulated Mr Guyo and wished him the best as he takes over the mantle of the county. “I thank my supporters and encourage them to take courage and remain strong. Every competition has a winner and loser and there is always another day. Let us live to fight tomorrow.”
Mr Guyo was to initially gun for Embakasi Central MP seat but was brought in to salvage political career of veteran politician and outgoing Governor Mohammed Kuti after it appeared that he would have lost reelection bid to political ally turned foe and predecessor Doyo.
With Dr Kuti’s health also deteriorating months to the elections, Mr Guyo who has served as MCA from 2007 was vouched as his likely replacement and was consequently endorsed by the Governor who announced an early exit from active politics on the health grounds.
Governor Kuti has, despite his condition, been instrumental in behind the scenes mobilizations and spirited campaigns for the Jubilee politician who has been under immense pressure from Mr Doyo led team that accused him of being non-experienced and the outgoing Governor’s project.
After receiving a certificate from County IEBC Returning Officer Samuel Seki, Mr Guyo said he will be a leader of all residents regardless of whether they voted for him or not and rallied all the communities to remain united.
“I will indiscriminately serve all residents and work tirelessly to steer our county to greater heights,” he said.
The Jubilee Party bagged all the five county top seats including Senator, Woman Rep and two MP slots.
Senator Fatuma Dullo, who was among the three elected in the twelfth Parliament, retained her seat after garnering 29, 671 votes against first runners up Nuh Mohammed Ibrahim who got 23, 432 votes.
Isiolo Woman Rep Rehema Jaldesa lost her reelection bid to Former Education CAS Mumina Bonaya who got 23, 994 votes against her 21, 804 votes.
Former Isiolo North MP Joseph Samal had a successful comeback after trouncing incumbent Hassan Odha whom he lost the seat to in 2017 while PNU’s Mwenda Thuranira came third with 8739 votes.
Mr Samal of Jubilee Party garnered 10, 326 votes while Mr Odha got 9, 695 votes.
Of all the 10 elected MCA in the county, only Oldonyiro’s David Lemantile retained his seat.
But Mr Doyo, Ms Jaldesa and Mr Nuh yesterday vowed to challenge the poll results in court over alleged irregularities such as voter intimidation and bribery which might delay the swearing in of Mr Guyo, Ms Bonaya and Ms Dullo.
In Tharaka Nithi, Marimanti MCA and former Tharaka Nithi Assembly Deputy Speaker Susan Ngugi and her Mukothima counterpart Mwenda Gataya (Mo Fire) also made history after they were elected in Woman Rep and Senator positions on TSP and UDA parties respectively.
Ms Ngugi overcame the UDA wave in the county to trounce her main competitor Beatrice Kathomi (UDA) who got 68, 396 votes. The MCA got 72, 749 votes.
Besides bagging 10 out of the 15 MCA seats, MPs Patrick Munene (Chuka Igambang’ombe), Kareke Mbiuki (Maara) and Gitonga Murugara of Tharaka retained their seats on the Deputy President William Ruto’s party.
Governor Muthomi Njuki also retained his seat after bracing hot challenge from former Chuka University Vice Chancellor Erastus Njoka. He garnered 97, 151 votes while Mr Njoka got 58, 152 votes.
In Lamu, Former Nominated MCA Joseph Githuku of Jubilee won the County Senate seat after trouncing incumbent Anwar Loitiptip. He got 12, 091 votes while Mr Loitiptip garnered 2238 votes.
A total of seven women Governors have so far been announced Governor elects across the county.
They include Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru who retained the seat on UDA ticket against her strongest competitor former Woman Rep Purity Ngirici, outgoing Nakuru Senator Susan Kihika who trounced incumbent Jubilee’s Lee Kinyanjui on UDA ticket.
Former Runyenjes MP Cecily Mbarire is the new Embu Governor elect after garnering 108, 610 votes against former Senator Lenny Kivuti of Devolution Empowerment Party who got 105, 346 votes.
Also in the list is Wiper Party’s Wavinya Ndeti, a former CAS in the Transport Ministry, who won Machakos Governor seat with 226, 609 votes followed by Nzioka Waita and UDA National Chair Johnson Muthama who got 129, 181 votes and 37, 980 votes respectively.
Kwale Deputy Governor Fatuma Achani also won the top county seat on UDA ticket with 59, 674 votes trouncing former Agriculture PS Hamadi Boga of ODM who came second with 53, 972 votes becoming the first female Coast Governor.
Outgoing Homabay Woman Rep Gladys Wanga is the county Governor elect after defeating former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero.
Meru Woman Rep Kawira Mwangaza has defeated two political heavyweights, incumbent Governor Kiraitu Murungi and Senator Mithika Linturi after garnering 209, 148 votes on Independent ticket. Mr Linturi came second with 183, 859 votes while Mr Murungi came last with 110, 814 votes.
Ms Mwangaza is among the two Governor elects who clinched the seats on Independent ticket alongside Andrew Mwadime who trounced Taita Taveta Jubilee Governor Granton Samboja after garnering 49, 901 votes. Mr Samboja got 23, 703 votes.
