Azimio takes control of Meru County Assembly
The Azimio coalition shrugged off the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) wave in Meru to secure 25 Members of County Assembly against Kenya Kwanza Alliance’s 14.
Five MCAs were elected on an independent ticket while the election in Nyaki West was postponed to August 23 after one of the candidates, Hillary Mugambi, was left out on the ballot paper. Meru County has 45 elective wards.
Outgoing governor Kiraitu Murungi’s Devolution Empowerment Party (DEP) secured 13 MCA seats, UDA (12), Jubilee (6), PNU (5), Independent (5), National Ordinary People’s Empowerment Union (Nopeu) (2), DP (1) and DPK (1).
The DEP, Jubilee, PNU and Nopeu are members of Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party while UDA, DP and DPK make up the Kenya Kwanza Alliance.
However, UDA held sway in the parliamentary contest, after securing five seats against Jubilee’s two and Nopeu’s one seat while one MP was elected as an independent candidate.
UDA also won the senate and woman representative seats.
Despite losing, outgoing Igembe North MP Maore Maoka managed to ring-fence his backyard against the UDA wave with all five MCAs from the constituency being elected on Jubilee and DEP tickets.
Out of the five MCAs in Igembe North, three were elected on Jubilee party ticket and two on DEP ticket.
In Igembe Central, Jubilee Party secured the parliamentary seat as well as two MCA seats while DEP has two and PNU one ward seat.
Agriculture CS Peter Munya and Tigania East MP elect Mpuru Aburi, who is also Nopeu party leader, did not completely fend off DP William Ruto’s influence after UDA won one seat.
In Tigania East, PNU won two MCAs seats while two others are in the Nopeu party.
Meru voters elected independent candidate Kawira Mwangaza, a media magnate as governor, taking governor Kiraitu Murungi ad Senator Mithika Linturi who were eyeing the seat home.