Two United Democratic Alliance (UDA) parliamentary candidates in Baringo County have emerged the winners in the August 9 General Election, retaining their seats for the next five years.
Baringo South MP Charles Kamuren who was defending his seat for a second term, garnered 15,200 votes to defeat Jubilee Party’s Dickson Keiss from the minority Ilchamus community who got 9,800 votes, independent candidate Joseph Tarus who got 6,782 votes, Abraham Mengich (314 votes) and Richard Moindi of Kanu (221 votes).
MP Kamuren took over after he won in a by-election on a Jubilee Party ticket in August 2018 following the death of Grace Kipchoim after a long battle with colon cancer.
He crossed over from Kanu in the run up to the by-election following a machination by Deputy President William Ruto, who toured the area at the time, in a bid to solidify his grip in the region.
Mr Kamuren had vied for Baringo South parliamentary seat in 2013 and 2017 on a Kanu ticket but lost to the late Ms Kipchoim.
In Baringo Central, Joshua Kandie who is also the incumbent MP, was declared the winner on Wednesday by the constituency Returning Officer Gilbert Serem after garnering 25,055 votes against his opponent, former MP Sammy Mwaita (9, 519 votes) who vied as an independent candidate.
In 2017, Mr Kandie vied on Maendeleo Chap Chap ticket and trounced Mr Mwaita but later ditched the party in the run up to the 2022 nominations to vie on UDA.
In his acceptance speech, the MP promised to complete the several projects he had started in 2017, indicating that he would not disappoint the electorate for their overwhelming support.
“I am very grateful that you elected me for the second time to win by a landslide to retain my seat and I promise that I will always be at your service,” said Mr Kandie.
In the provisional results released so far, Mogotio parliamentary aspirant Reuben Kiborek of UDA is also leading, with a likelihood that he will trounce the incumbent MP Daniel Tuitoek, who contested on an independent ticket, and former MP Hellen Sambili of Kanu.
