Lucas Awiti is the winner in the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) nominations in North Kadem Ward in Migori County which was marred with chaos.
Awiti emerged victorious with 2009 votes beating 12 other candidates.
He was followed closely by Augustine Okinyi who got 1, 314 votes in an exercise that was conducted on Sunday.
Other candidates were Albert Asiago who got 1, 289 votes, Francis Odhiambo (1, 016 votes), Joseph Ochieng’ (398 votes), Jared Nyawanda(333 votes), Olueny Onduso (220 votes), Jima Augo (165 votes), KennethOketch (140 votes), Pamela Odira (122 votes), Philip Ageta (54 votes),Philip Okinyi (38 votes) and Shadrack Odhiambo who got 34 votes.
The announcement was made by ODM National Elections Board Secretary Robert Arunga at a Homa Bay Hotel Sunday.
Arunga said the final results were announced after tallying of 27 out of the 28 polling stations in the ward.
“We have announced results of 28 polling stations and excluded one where violence was witnessed. We have not received the results from Nduruma Polling station because the presiding officer ran away before announcing the results,” he said.
Nduruma Polling station has 600 registered voters.
According to the ODM National Elections Board, the exclusion of result at the polling station would not have affected the final results.
“Suppose we add t he results of the excluded polling station to the second candidate, Awiti would still be the winner. We therefore decided to announce the final results minus those from Nduruma Polling
station,” said Arunga.
North Kadem Ward seat fell vacant after the Ward Representative Boaz Okoth was earlier this 2018 elected as the Migori County Assembly Speaker.
Arunga who was accompanied by a commissioner in the ODM National Elections Board Dominique Motinda said the nomination exercise was conducted fairly.
Arunga said the announcement was made in Homa Bay County because the lives of officials who conducted the exercise were threatened.
“The returning officer, Mark Oremo who oversaw the entire exercise complained that he was being followed by unknown people. We took the responsibility of announcing the winner ourselves,” he said.
The winner will be issued with an interim certificate as he waits for the by-election.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has scheduled North Kadem Ward by-election for August 17.
By Dickson Magero/Davis Langat