Independent candidate Feisal Bader has emerged the winner in the hotly contested Msambweni parliamentary by-election race.
Bader garnered 15,251 votes with his closest challenger ODM’s Omar Boga bagging 10, 444 votes in an exercise marked by poor voter turnout which stood at 39.5 per cent.
A total of 27,313 votes were cast in a cosmopolitan constituency that has 69,003 registered voters spread in the four assembly wards of Ukunda, Ramisi, Kinondo and Bongwe/Gombato.
The seat fell vacant when area Member of Parliament Suleiman Dori died in March this year.
The independent candidate is cousin brother and former personal assistant and campaign manager of the late MP. Supporters carried the MP-elect shoulder high around Dr. Babla Diani High School, the venue of the main tallying center. Wiper party candidate Sheikh Mahmoud Abdulrahman came a distant third with 790 votes.
Other candidates in the race included Charles Bilali (Independent), Marere Wamwachai (National Vision Party), Hassan Mwakulonda (Party of Economic Democracy), Mahmoud Sheikh (Wiper Party), Khamis Mwakaonje (United Green Movement) and Mansury Kumaka (Independent) and collectively managed to garner 790 of the votes cast on Tuesday.
The results were announced by Msambweni constituency returning Officer Yussuf Abubakar in the wee hours of Wednesday after all the results were received from the 129 polling stations.
An emotional Bader, 34, said he was ready to hit the ground running and continue with the development activities initiated under the late MP.
Meanwhile, Kwale Governor Salim Mvurya who campaigned vigorously for Bader said the people of Msambweni have spoken and it was time to get down to work and ensure citizens get services from their new MP.
“I want to recognize the efforts of all Senators, Members of Parliament, individuals, and my Deputy Fatuma Achani. Their zeal and desire to help Hon Bader was steadfast and has yielded results,” he said.
He went on, “‘it is our duty now to help him settle in and continue with the development roadmap that had been started by the late MP Dori.”
By Hussein Abdullahi
