Azimio la Umoja One Kenya presidential candidate Raila Odinga has taken a commanding lead in Lower Eastern Region.
Final Presidential results declared in six constituencies within Machakos, Makueni and Kitui counties have Mr Odinga leading the pack with 219,009 votes.
The results captured in the forms 34B show Mr Odinga stretching ahead of Kenya Kwanza’s William Ruto with a difference of 151,940 votes in Kathiani, Machakos, Makueni, Mwingi North, Kitui West and Kangundo constituencies.
Dr Ruto has so far garnered 67,069 votes in the six constituencies.
Roots Party presidential candidate Professor George Wajackoyah has so far garnered 2,130 votes against Agano’s Waihiga Mwaure who so far has 531 votes.
Out of the six, Machakos gave Mr Odinga the highest vote tally with 50,114 residents voting in his favour. In the constituency that is Machakos Governor and Azimio rebel Alfred Mutua’s backyard, Dr Ruto managed to get 19,677 votes.
Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka’s backyard in Mwingi North gave Mr Odinga a majority of the votes, capturing 31,656 votes against Dr Ruto’s 11,508 votes.
In Kathiani, Mr Odinga garnered 30, 984 votes with Dr Ruto coming in at a distant second with 6,624 votes.
In Makueni Constituency, 48,774 residents voted in favour of Mr Odinga while 12,492 preferred Dr Ruto.
Mr Odinga’s dominance in the Ukambani vote was also witnessed in Kangundo where he garnered 29,808 votes ahead of Dr Ruto who had 8,405 votes.
Meanwhile, voters in most parts of Lower Eastern Region will have to wait longer to know their next leadership as tallying went on at a slow speed for most part of Wednesday night.
At Nita tallying centre in Mavoko Constituency it was a long wait as tallying went on into Wednesday night and Thursday morning.
At Kibwezi East Constituency Tallying Centre at Muthingiini Boys High School in Makueni County vote tallying went on into the night with final results expected to be announced on Thursday.
“Some constituencies have declared the winners in each election. Why has it taken so long to process the results here?” wondered one agent for an MCA candidate.
While agents demanded the results for the MCA election, Presiding Officer miss Pamela Wandeo insisted tallying of votes for all the elections had to be completed before declaration of the winners.
Kibwezi East is one of the seven constituencies in Makueni County, with 64,740 registered voters. It has four wards: Thange, Ivingoni/Nzambani, Mtito Andei and Masongaleni.
“We are not taking chances. Anything can happen. I will remain at the Tawa tallying centre until the final announcement of the parliamentary results are announced,” the incumbent MP Erastus Kivasu Nzioka told the Nation .
Tallying of the votes at the Tawa Constituency tallying centre was projected to continue late into Thursday afternoon.
- By Nicholas Komu Sammy Kimatu, James Kahongeh, Richard Munguti and Pius Maundu
