Twenty-five years after his first debut into politics, Mr. Khamis Abdi Chome was on Thursday night declared the Member of Parliament for Voi Constituency after emerging top with 9,418 votes.
Chome, who was vying with a Wiper Party ticket, trounced the incumbent Johnes Mlolwa of Jubilee who got 8,426 votes. The race for Voi parliamentary seat has attracted a record of 11 contestants.
Speaking at Mwangea Secondary School after receiving his certificate, the MP elect said he would encourage participatory and all-inclusive leadership to promote development in the region.
“I will work with all of you to ensure we bring changes into our lives,” he said amid cheers from ecstatic supporters and family members.
Born in 1962, Chome first plunged into politics in 1997 as he unsuccessfully sought the seat of Voi MP under Kenya Africa National Union (KANU). In 2002, he vied for the same post under NARC but was unsuccessful. He would vie again in 2007 with ODM-K and 2013 under TNA. He was unsuccessful both times.
In 2017, he took a break from politics following the death of his wife. He would come back later in 2022 with Wiper Party where he triumphed over his 10 competitors.
Chome’s win is attributed to elaborate campaign networks he has created over the years coupled with political disillusionment of a youthful population that craved for change. The constituency has 61,377 registered voters.
The outgoing MP Jones Mlolwa has been Voi MP for 10 years after he was elected to parliament in 2013 under ODM. Mlolwa successfully defended his seat in 2017 before shifting to Jubilee Party in readiness for the 2022 general election.
Chome becomes the third MP in Taita-Taveta County to win a parliamentary seat under Wiper after Danson Mwashako of Wundanyi and Bwire Okano of Taveta.
Jubilee Party’s Peter Shake won the Mwatate parliamentary seat.
By Wagema Mwangi
