Ex-Agriculture PS Lesiyampe concedes defeat in Samburu governor's race
Former Principal Secretary Richard Lesiyampe
Former Agriculture Principal Secretary Richard Lesiyampe has conceded defeat in the Samburu County governor’s race.
Dr Lesiyampe accepted provisional results way before official ones from the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) were announced.
He was seeking to succeed retiring Governor Moses Lenolkulal, who served two consecutive terms that are allowed under the Constitution.
Dr Lesiyampe (Jubilee) thanked his supporters for turning out to vote for him even though he lost the race.
"I just want to thank my family, friends and supporters for standing by my side during the campaign period," Dr Lesiyampe said in a press briefing in Maralal town on Wednesday evening.
He asked his supporters to be calm and maintain peace ahead of the official announcement of the gubernatorial results.
Provisional results show Mr Lelelit had a commanding lead in the hotly contested seat at 35,243, followed by Dr Lesiyampe at 22,247. The results also show independent candidate Daniel Lekupe garnered 1,033 while Richard Leiyagu of PGP received 403.
But the IEBC is yet to release the final results, with results from only a few polling stations yet to be tallied.
Mr Lelelit, a staunch member of Deputy President William Ruto's Kenya Kwanza alliance, lost the Samburu West parliamentary seat to Naisula Lesuuda in 2017. He made a political comeback by declaring his interest in succeeding Governor Lenolkulal last year.
Dr Lesiyampe was principal secretary in the state department of Agriculture and in Environment and Natural Resources. Before joining the government, he was CEO of Kenyatta National Hospital.
