Seven legislators fail to make the cut in Jubilee nominations

Former Naivasha MP Jayne Kihara.

What you need to know:

  • In Nakuru, Naivasha MP John Kihagi lost the nominations with his closest rival – former MP Jane Kihara.
  • In Molo, the incumbent MP Jacob Macharia was trounced by newcomer Kuria Kimani who garnered 13,092 votes against the lawmaker’s 8,000 votes.
  • Kinangop MP Stephen Kinyanjui was trounced by Mr Zachary Kwenya Kinyanjui who garnered 19,039 against his 4,639 votes.

At least seven MPs in Nakuru, Laikipia and Nyandarua failed to secure the Jubilee Party ticket in the just-concluded nominations.

The nominations also saw some former MPs make a political comeback in the two counties after trouncing their rivals to secure the party’s ticket for the August 8 General Election.

In Nakuru, Naivasha MP John Kihagi lost the nominations with his closest rival – former MP Jane Kihara, beating him to secure the party’s ticket.

Ms Kihara garnered 21,111 votes against Mr Kihagi’s 8,225. Mr Ndegwa Nguthiru, who came in second, polled 15,312.

Mr Kihagi conceded defeat on Thursday morning after his opponent took a lead by a wide margin.

NEWCOMER

In Molo, the incumbent MP Jacob Macharia was trounced by newcomer Kuria Kimani who garnered 13,092 votes against the lawmaker’s 8,000 votes, while in Njoro, MP Joseph Kiuna also lost the battle for the party’s ticket to Kenya Literature Bureau board member Charity Chepkwony.

In Laikipia East MP Mutahi Kimaru was the first to take the fall. Mr Kimaru conceded defeat on his Facebook page late Wednesday night.

His Laikipia West counterpart, Dr Stephen Karani, was floored by county assembly Speaker Patrick Mariru who garnered 18,761 votes against the incumbent’s 11,240.

Kinangop MP Stephen Kinyanjui was trounced by Mr Zachary Kwenya Kinyanjui who garnered 19,039 against his 4,639 votes.

In second place was Mr Amos Chege who garnered 11,325 votes while Dr Mwangi Kamau managed 6,157 votes.

Former Finance minister Amos Kimunya was among those who made a comeback in politics after securing the Jubilee Party ticket for the Kipipiri parliamentary seat.

PERSONAL ASSISTANT

Mr Kimunya lost the Kipipiri seat to the incumbent Mr Samuel Gichigi in 2013 who was once his personal assistant.

But Mr Gichigi failed to secure a chance to defend the seat on a Jubilee ticket after Mr Kimunya beat him by garnering 16,479 votes against his 5,999 in the nominations.

In 2013, Mr Gichigi vied on an APK party ticket while Mr Kimunya was the TNA candidate.

In Ol Kalou constituency, MP David Kiaraho clinched the ticket by a very small margin.

The incumbent managed to get 20,572 votes against his close opponent Mr George Wambugu who had 19,763.

Mr Wambugu, however, disputed the results and said the exercise was marred by irregularities.

MASSIVE RIGGING

In the neighbouring Ol Jooro Orok and Ndaragwa constituencies, it was a neck-to-neck race between the incumbent John Waiganjo and Mr Michael Mucira (Ol Jooro Orok) and MP Waweru Ndiritu (Ndaragwa) and former area lawmaker Mr Jeremiah Kioni. Both incumbents were defeated by the newcomers.

Mr Kioni – who was ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi’s presidential running mate in the 2013 election, fought a close contest to beat the incumbent Mr Ndiritu after garnering 8,330 votes against the MP’s 7,668 votes.

Ol Jooro Orok’s Waiganjo lost to youthful newcomer Mucira who garnered 8,735 votes against the MP’s 5,623.

In Nakuru East, Mr David Gikaria was announced winner for the Jubilee ticket with 17,667 votes against his closest rival Mr Benson Mwangi’s 9,034.

In Nakuru Town West, considered an ODM zone, Mr Samuel Arama who decamped from the party to Jubilee managed to lead with 5,655 votes against his closest rival Francisca Kamuren.

For the Kuresoi South parliamentary seat, Mr Joseph Kipkosgei led the race garnering 12,221 votes against his closest opponent Peter Ketyenya who secured 10,654.

Mr Kipkosgei, a former Kenya National Union of Teachers official will now battle it out with Chama Cha Mashinani candidate Zakayo Cheruiyot.

Mr Cheruiyot, alongside Bomet governor Isaac Ruto, fell out with Deputy President William Ruto and have been his fierce critics.

SECURED PARTY TICKET

In Kuresoi North, the incumbent Moses Cheboi also secured the party ticket polling 21,728 votes trouncing his three rivals Ms Evelyn Milgo (6,247), Mr Joel Ayieni (4,096) and Mr James Kariuki (694).
In Bahati, the MP Kimani Ngunjiri garnered 22,319 votes to trounce his seven rivals by a wide margin.

Mr John Mbugua polled 6,903 votes, Mr Dedan Gikwa 4,256, Mr Crispus Wathimba 1,670, Ms Hilda Kimata 1,055, Mr Peter Gutu 716, Mr Joseph Mbui 697 and Bishop Joseph Kimani 416.

In Samburu during the party primaries conducted on Wednesday, two Jubilee MPs in the county secured the party’s ticket to defend their seats.

Samburu North MP Alois Lentoimaga and Samburu East’s Raphael Letimalo beat their competitors in the hotly-contested primaries to clinch the ticket.

INTIMIDATION

Mr Lentoimaga garnered 10,998 votes in all the 88 polling stations in Samburu North to trounce his only competitor- human rights activist Ms Mercy Lemayana who managed 2,648 votes.

Ms Lemayana, however, accused Mr Lentoimaga of massive rigging. She also claimed there was intimidation and voters were corrupted.

In Samburu East, Mr Letimalo beat his opponent Ms Rebecca Lolosoli by garnering 7,842 votes against her 1,543.

In Narok, two MPs survived the nominations and will proceed to defend their seats on the party’s ticket on August 8.

Mr Lemanken Aramat and Mr Korei Lemein beat their opponents to secure the ticket clearing them for a contest with ODM, CCM and Kanu candidates for the Narok East and Narok South parliamentary seats, respectively.

BEAT CLOSE RIVAL

In Narok East, Mr Aramat, who garnered 10,920 votes beat his close rival former Nakuru county Finance officer Kapaya Torome by 5,793 votes to clinch the party ticket.

But Mr Torome, who managed 5,127 votes, protested immediately after the results were announced, claiming there were irregularities in the primaries.

In the third and fourth place were businessman Parseen Shunet and retired army colonel Simon Kimorgo who garnered 2,917 and 532 votes respectively.

The results were announced by the Jubilee Party returning officer Geoffrey Makoe at the Nairagie Enkare DEB Primary school.

Reported by Caroline Wafula, Steve Njuguna, Godfrey Oundoh and George Sayagie