Major upsets as historic Monday poll came to a close

Omingo Magara addresses a press conference at his Nyangena home in Kisii town.  [PICTURE: KENAN MIRUKA/STANDARD]

By Jacob Ng’etich and Stephen Makabila

KENYA: The General Election early this week came with huge surprises as history was made breaking cultural perceptions, party waves, political seniority and racial biases.

The eleventh election in the history of Kenya and the first under the new Constitution allowed the electorate to elect not only a teenager to a county assembly but also saw others sent into political oblivion.

Independent candidates also had a say and floored politicians who rode on regional popular party waves. Influential ministers in the Grand Coalition Government were also not spared.

In six constituencies, voters affirmed that race was not a factor anymore in winning elections as they elected members from different races.

Alfred Kibiwott Munge, 19, beat competitors his father’s age to win the Perkera Lembus Ward County Representative seat in a victory that surprised many.

The defeat of former Narok North MP William Ole Ntimama who has always been held as the defacto Maasai leader was even more shocking.

At 83, Ntimama was the oldest MP after Kibaki and his defeat consigns him to political retirement after being in active politics for about 30 years.

Surprise victory

Another surprise victory was that of Boston Marathon champion Wesley Korir against the vocal and humorous politician and former Cherangany MP Joshua Kuttuny.

Despite Kuttuny, 34, running on a United Republican Party (URP) ticket that gave him an upper hand in the region, he lost to the 2012 Boston Marathon champion who makes his way next month for this year’s marathon.

Korir now becomes the second Boston Marathon winner to be elected to parliament after Elijah Lagat, a two times Boston winner who was elected in 2007 as Emgwen Constituency law MP.

Talking of independent candidates, former Mt Elgon MP John Serut waded his way back to parliament in a contest against former MP Fred Kapondi who was elected emotionally by his constituents while in police remand over his alleged association with the Saboat Land Defence Force five years ago.

In Maasai land, it was history in the making when Peris Topiko was elected as the first MP for Kajiado East, she becomes the first woman MP to win an elective seat among the Maasai community.

Topiko was declared the winner after garnering 23,381 followed by her close rival ODM’s Kakuta ole Maimai with 22,640, Joshua Olowuasa of Wiper came third with 6,819, the rest were William Kirinkai (URP) 4,557 and Elijah Timpaine (RBK) 2,221.

In Kipipiri, Transport minister Amos Kimunya came to terms with the reality that his constituents no longer required his services after serving them for a decade.

Kimunya found it hard to come to terms with their decision and he decided to remind them of what he has done for them and accused the constituents of being unappreciative of his good work.

Development record

His opponent Nairobi lawyer Samuel Gichigi beat Kimunya for the second time after he lost to him in the The National Alliance party nominations earlier, but was handed the party’s ticket in a controversial manner.

“I am very disappointed that the people of Kipipiri constituency did notappreciate my development record,” Kimunya said in a letter read on his behalf by Returning Officer Acenia Njoroge immediately after announcing the constituency results.

In Kwale, it came as a surprise that Environment minister and former Matuga MP Chirau Makwere was denied the senate seat by Boy Juma Boy who is a former Kwale Central MP (1983 to 1997).

After losing the parliamentary seat, Boy went into fishing and now makes a grand return to politics as Kwale County Senator.

As the URP wave swept across the Rift Valley, a determined Agriculture minister Dr Sally Jepng’etich Kosgei opted to defend her Aldai parliamentary seat on an ODM ticket only for her to lose.

She was one of Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s most trusted advisers due to her experience in Government and international diplomacy.

Senate race

PDP leader and former South Migirango MP Omingo Magara lost the Kissi County Senate seat to Public Works Minister Chris Obure of ODM who was declared winner in the race garnering 120,351 votes.

 In the Rift valley, politicians opposed to her political stand never attacked her publicly as they did to other politicians.

In demonstrating how she is valued in ODM, Dr Kosgei had been earmarked for nomination to Parliament was she to lose her seat.

Meanwhile Co-operative Assistant minister and former Marakwet East MP Linah Jebii Kilimo lost her parliamentary seat to a new comer.

Kilimo, who served for two terms as MP, lost the seat to David Kangogo Bowen of URP.

 Kilimo who was popularly known as ‘the iron lady of Marakwet’, was first elected to parliament in the 2002 General elections on a NARC becoming the first woman MP in the constituency, and was appointed full minister.

In 2007, Kilimo made a tactical move when she decamped to Kamlesh Patni’s Kenda party and won the seat for the second time.

Former Yatta MP Charles Kilonzo, a close ally of Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka, also lost his parliamentary seat to newcomer Francis Mwangangi of Muungano party.

‘Six piece suit’

Kilonzo, who has been the area MP for two terms, vied for the Yatta seat on a WDM ticket.

In Mt Elgon, a close ally of Jubilee presidential running mate William Ruto, former area MP Fred Kapondi lost the magic that saw him win in 2007 even while in police remand.

Kapondi, lost to his perennial rival, former Assistant minister John Serut, who came in as an independent candidate.

In Nyeri County, TNA failed to capture the governor’s seat after its candidate Wahome Gakuru was floored by former Mathira MP Nderitu Gachagua, the Grand National Union secretary general.

Also making a comeback was former Communication minister Mutahi Kagwe who was elected as Nyeri County Senator.