Former Kisumu Assembly Speaker Elisha Jack Oraro has retained his seat after garnering 25 votes in the second round.
Oraro triumphed over his close competitor, former Majority Leader Samuel Ongou who got 22 votes in the hotly contested seat.
In the first round, he garnered 24 votes against Mr Ongou’s 23 votes. Other candidates were lawyer Kenneth Amondi and James Kounah who got zero votes each.
Oraro, an Engineer by profession clinched the Speaker’s position for a second term during the election conducted in the first sitting of the new Assembly on Tuesday.
He took over the Assembly leadership in 2019 after the ouster of the former Assembly speaker Onyango Oloo who was facing graft charges.
The election was conducted after the swearing-in ceremony of 47 elected and nominated MCAs to kick start their five-year term of service delivery to the locals in the third County Assembly.
In his acceptance speech after taking the oath of office, Oraro urged all the elected leaders to work in synergy to attain the mandates of the assembly.
“I promise to discharge my duties with the highest efficiency and impartiality. I will strive to be accessible to all members and I urge you to work together for the prosperity of Kisumu County and the wellbeing of our people,” said Oraro.
Clerk to the Assembly Mr Owen Ojuok reported that seven candidates expressed interest in the position of Speaker, three of whom were disqualified for failing to attain the minimum threshold required for the position.
By Robert Ojwang’
