Jubilee wins more than half governor races, while 24 incumbents to lose seats

More than half the counties (25) in the country will be led by governors of the Jubilee Party, according to provisional results by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC). Nasa will take 18 counties, Maendeleo Chap Chap one, Kanu one and two to go to independent candidates.

Twenty-two county governors are set to retain their seats in this year’s General Elections, 12 of whom belong to the National Super Alliance (Nasa) while nine belong to the Jubilee Party.

Half (24 of 47) governors are on the verge of losing their seats.  Nandi Governor Cleophas Lagat opted out of the race to retain his seat after losing the race to the Jubilee ticket to Senator Stephen Sang. He however pledged to support Mr Sang in the race.  

INDEPENDENT CANDIDATES

Two counties, Isiolo and Laikipia, have elected independent candidates to be their next governors.  In Isiolo, Senator Mohammed Abdi Kuti is projected to be the next Governor, having garnered 20,539 votes (42 per cent) of 92 per cent of the votes tallied.

The incumbent, Godana Doyo Adhi (Party for Development and Reform) comes second with 13,746 votes (28 per cent). Mr Kuti opted to run as an independent after defecting from Jubilee Party and Narc-Kenya.

In Laikipia, independent candidate Ndiritu Muriithi, who had earlier on attempted to gain the Jubilee Party’s ticket in the primaries, is leading at 100,109 votes (51 per cent) with 99.81 per cent of the votes tallied. The incumbent, Governor Joshua Irungu (Jubilee), is second with 98,233 votes (50 per cent).

Kwale Governor Salim Mvurya will serve in the county’s Governor office, after beating tough competition from former Kenyan Ambassador to Tanzania Chirau Ali Mwakwere (Wiper Party) and Issah Athuman Kiperah (ODM).  Mr Mvurya had earlier defected from ODM to Jubilee.

With 94 per cent of the votes in, he is way ahead with 112,165 votes (65 per cent) followed by Mr Mwakwere with 27,215 votes (16 per cent) and Mr Kiperah with 27,112 votes (16 per cent).

In as much as the county has voted in a Jubilee Party Governor, Kwale has overwhelmingly voted for Nasa’s Raila Odinga in the Presidential race, with Mr Odinga garnering 134,498 votes (75 per cent).  

Lamu County Governor Issa Timamy (Amani National Congress) lost his seat to Jubilee Party’s candidate Fahim Yasin Twaha. Mr Twaha who won the seat with 22,969 votes (47 per cent), followed by Mr Timamy with 22,420 votes (46 per cent).

Two other candidates affiliated to Nasa, namely Swaleh Salim Swaleh (Wiper Party) and Abdalla Mohamed Abdalla (ODM) collectively garnered 3,570 votes (7 per cent).

Jubilee Party’s Mohamed Abdi Mahamud is set to beat the incumbent Governor Ahmed Abdullahi Mohamed of the ODM Party. With 93 per cent of the votes in, he leads with 46,400 votes (41 per cent) followed by Mr Mohamed with 33,676 votes (30 per cent).

In the Kajiado gubernatorial race, former Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph ole Lenku has trounced ODM Party’s Governor David Nkedianye. With 94 per cent of the votes in, Mr Lenku leads with 166,767 votes (54 per cent) followed by Mr Nkedianye’s 137,074 votes (45 per cent).

With 97 per cent of the votes in, Kabete MP Ferdinand Waititu won the Kiambu County Gubernatorial seat on a Jubilee Party ticket with 743,063 votes (78 per cent). Incumbent Governor William Kabogo, running on an independent ticket, after failing to win the Jubilee Party ticket in the primaries has lost with 199,804 votes (21 per cent).

The incumbent governor of Mombasa County, Hassan Ali Joho (ODM), is set to retain his seat. Of the 92 per cent of votes tallied, he is leading with 204,425 votes (65 per cent), followed by Jubilee Party’s Suleiman Shahbal with 64, 385 votes (20 per cent).

Mr Joho’s close rival Hassan Omar Hassan closes the top three with 40, 429 votes (13 per cent).

Kilifi County Governor Amason Kingi is set to retain his seat having 202, 186 votes (67 per cent). His close rival Gideon Mung’aro comes second with 52, 666 votes (17 per cent). Former Labor Cabinet Secretary Kazungu Kambi (KADU ASILI) comes third with 42, 217 votes (14 per cent).

In the Uasin Gishu race, incumbent Governor Jackson Mandago (Jubilee Party) is projected to retain his seat. With 95 per cent of the county votes, Mr Mandago has garnered 189, 067 votes (57 per cent). His close rival, Independent Candidate Zedekiah Buzeki Bundotich comes second with 141,572 votes (43 per cent).

Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua has successfully defended his seat. With 95 per cent of the votes counted in the county, Governor Mutua leads with 243,583 votes, or 53 per cent. He is followed by his closest rival Former Kathiani MP Wavinya Ndeti (Wiper Party), with 203,776 votes (45 per cent).

Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanyah is set to retain his seat. With 97 per cent of the votes counted, Mr Oparanyah garnered 380,649 votes (70 per cent) followed by Kakamega Senator Khalwale with 132,788 votes, or 25 per cent.

BIG LOSERS

Kisumu Governor Jackton Ranguma is set to lose his seat to Anyang’ Nyong’o (ODM). Running as an independent candidate, he currently has 146,880 votes (36 per cent)

Kitui Governor, Dr Julius Malombe, will lose his seat, after attaining 71,900 votes (21 per cent). Former Lands Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu (NARC) will be the next Governor of Kitui County, and one of the first women in Kenya’s history to become Governor, with 162,768 votes (47 per cent). Anne Waiguru of Kirinyaga County also look set to be elected, having garnered 159,606 votes or (54 per cent) with 99 per cent of all polls reporting, as does Joyce Laboso of Bomet County who gained 175, 932 votes (67 per cent) after 99 per cent of the vote had been counted.

Kitui Senator David Musila, who had opted to run as an independent after losing the Wiper Party ticket to Mr Malombe, came second after garnering 108,635 votes (32 per cent).

Meru Governor and former Council of Governors chairman Peter Munya (PNU) has lost to Jubilee candidate Senator Kiraitu Murungi.

Mr Munya, has 228,393 votes (43 per cent) with 98 per cent of the tallied votes. Mr Murungi got 277,265 votes (52 per cent). Mr Munya has rejected the outcome of the results.

With 99 per cent of the votes in, Acting Governor Samwel Wamathai Githaiga, running as an independent candidate has lost to Jubilee’s Patrick Wahome Gakuru (281,584 votes).

Mr Githaiga, who became the acting Governor following the death of Nderitu Gachagua, opted to contest as an independent after losing in the Jubilee Party primaries. He has 86,702 votes (22 per cent).

Other big losers in this year’s elections are; Evans Kidero (Nairobi), Jackton Ranguma (Kisumu) and Isaac Ruto (Bomet).