Nakuru Governor Kinuthia Mbugua has joined the list of fallen governors after he lost to former Nakuru Town MP Lee Kinyanjui in the Jubilee Party nominations for governor.
Kinyanjui garnered 216,385 votes to Mbugua’s 150,137 in nominations that also saw Nakuru County Assembly Speaker Susan Kihika winning the senate seat primaries by a landslide.
The outspoken Kihika warded off strong opposition comprising of veteran politicians such as Koigi Wamwere, Njenga Mungai and businessman Karanja Kabage.
Kihika garnered 270,581 votes, lawyer Kabage emerged a distant second with 49,141 while Koigi came third with got 8, 217.
It was a sweet revenge for Kinyanjui who narrowly lost to Mbugua in the TNA nominations in 2013.
Former National Authority for the Campaign against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (Nacada) chairman John Mututho, however, failed to break his losing streak.
The former Naivasha MP emerged third in the governor’s race with 30, 847 votes. In the 2013 General Election, he lost his Naivasha parliamentary seat after he was trounced in the TNA nominations.
Yesterday, an elated Kinyanjui extended an olive branch to Governor Mbugua stressing the need for unity in the Jubilee party.
“Our responsibility from now henceforth is to make sure that all Jubilee Party candidates are elected in August. We are now one strong team. We are beginning a new era and I thank the elections board and residents for conducting a peaceful election,” he said.
But Mbugua, who addressed the press shortly after Kinyanjui was declared winner, said he is going to challenge the outcome of the election.
He promised that he is going to deliver his election pledges and ensure that the problems the people are going through are dressed. “When you say you are going to address water shortage that must be done and that is what we’re going to do…” he said.
History was also made after voters elected the first woman senator (Kihika) and the first woman MP for Njoro after Charity Kathambi floored area MP Joseph Kiuna. Former Naivasha MP Jayne Kihara also made a comeback.
Governor Mbugua claimed that he had noticed “glaring” anomalies in the election saying some areas had witnessed higher turnout than registered voters. He said he will study the results before issuing a comprehensive statement.
“I need time to study the results because I don’t think it represents the wishes of Nakuru people,” he dejected Mbugua said.
It was telling that Governor Mbugua was accompanied by only junior officers when he issued the statement at Viena Hotel in Nakuru Town.
