United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party’s flag bearer Antony Nzuki has clinched the London Member of County Assembly seat in Nakuru County after garnering 1,707 votes.
Nzuki won 38 per cent of the total votes coming from only 24.7 percent of registered voters in the ward.
The London Ward seat fell vacant after MCA Sammy Karanja succumbed to a disorder of the Pancreas in December last year while undergoing treatment at the Nakuru War Memorial Hospital.
In the by elections that were marred by confusion and voter bribery allegations Nzuki was followed closely by Jubilee’s Francis Njoroge who bagged 1,385 votes.
The by-election attracted 20 candidates. The Ward has 18, 380 registered voters and 26 polling stations.
Even though the tallying process went on smoothly, vote casting was marred with violence as police lobbed teargas canisters to a crowd after rival groups and Members of Parliament supporting Jubilee and UDA candidates clashed at Milimani Primary School.
Langata Member of Parliament Nixon Korir and Nakuru Senator Susan Kihika were ordered by police to leave the polling station when skirmishes erupted.
According to Gilbert Serem, Nakuru West Returning Officer, a total of 4,541 votes representing 24.7 percent of registered voters were cast with 25 votes being spoilt. He attributed the poor turn out to the violence that was witnessed during the day.
Milimani Primary School, which is the largest polling station with nearly 5,000 registered voters, was the center of the violence.
Bernard Maina of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) who had the backing of Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria received 891 votes, with Alex Maina and Ms Assumpta Wangui who ran as independent candidates garnering 219 and 70 votes respectively. Joseph Kimani who was Kanu’s flag bearer got 1 vote.
ODM candidate Stephen Adoch stepped down in favour of Njoroge and has been campaigning for the Jubilee candidate. Other candidates in the race were Felix Kipruto of the People’s Party of Kenya and The Service Party’s Joseph Kariuki.
by Anne Mwale/Dennis Rasto
