ODM wins in Coast as poll losers protest

Orange Democratic Party emerged as the biggest winner in Coast, clinching numerous key positions in the General Election.

Among the top winners was Mr John Mrutu, who was on Wednesday declared the new Taita Taveta governor. He defeated former Central Bank of Kenya deputy governor Jacinta Mwatela in a hotly contested election.

Mr Mrutu won 34,290 votes against Wiper Democratic Party candidate Mrs Mwatela’s 32,890. The former banker came ahead of Mr Wisdom Mwamburi of URP who got 7,714 votes.

Former permanent secretary Mwanyengela Ngali of Narc Kenya got 6,784. County returning officer Kalimbo Beja rejected claims by Mrs Mwatela that figures had been changed after they were made public at the constituency tallying centres.

Mr Abdulswamad Nassir of ODM also won, becoming the new Mvita Member of the National Assembly. He beat six other candidates after he garnered 34,491 votes.

The returning officer in the constituency, Mr Frank Mwalenga, announced the results yesterday around 1pm, declaring the son of former Cabinet minister Shariff Nassir winner.

Others in the race included former nominated MP Sheikh Mohammed Dor.

Romped to victory

Former MP Mwalimu Masoud Mwahima, also of ODM, romped to victory after a landslide victory against other six challengers for the member of National Assembly seat.

Mr Mwahima garnered 18,258 votes to successfully defend his seat.

He promised to serve all those living in Likoni irrespective of whether they voted for him or not.

His closest challenger, former Heritage Minister Suleiman Shakombo (URP) came a distant second with 7,009 votes, followed by a newcomer, Mr Bernard Odhiambo of Tip, who got 3,325 votes.

Other were Khamis Ali Domoko (CCU) 2,544, Mfaume Bakari (TNA) 1,452, Jackie Bwire (WDM-K) with 909 and Patrick Mugalla (ND) who got 500.

In Kisauni, Mr Rashid Bedzimba won parliamentary seat after garnering 26,539 of the 52,135 votes cast.

Mr Fahad Kasim was second with 8,617 votes, followed by Mr Abdalla Said who got 5,292.

While the second and third candidates were newcomers in the race, former area MP Ananiah Mwaboza came a distant fourth with 4,671 votes.

Meanwhile, aggrieved candidates for various elective positions in Mombasa, Kilifi and Kwale counties have accused the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) of ineptitude in the just-concluded voting.

Compromised

The candidates, led by Republican Congress party boss Najib Balala and Mr Suleiman Shahbal claimed IEBC had been compromised.

They would be demanding that a fresh election be conducted in the three counties as they could not accept the results.

Mr Shahbal, who was vying for the Mombasa County governor’s post on a Wiper Democratic Movement ticket, said he and other aggrieved candidates would take legal action to prevent the electoral commission from accepting the final results from constituencies in the three counties.

“We are drawing a complaint and demanding that fresh election be conducted,” he said at the Royal Castle hotel in Mombasa.

The two, accompanied by their supporters and other aspirants, accused the commission of doctoring results in the three counties to favour a certain political party, and increase the votes for the presidential candidate. However, they did not elaborate or provide documentary evidence to support their claims.

Mr Shahbal said that some IEBC officials and some party agents had colluded to tilt the elections in some polling stations and later submitted erroneous results to the constituency tallying centres.

“There was also an incident that occurred at a tallying centre where stolen ballot boxes were sneaked into the centre and nothing has been done about it,” Mr Shabal said and claimed that some of his agents had been intimidated during the voting.

Manual system

Mr Balala, a senate candidate said the poll was marred by malpractices that included voter bribery, intimidation, manipulation of votes and malfunctioning of the electronic system which forced polling clerks to use the manual system of voter identification.

He also complained that there were several cases of ballots exceeding registered voters in some polling stations.

“There are bigger forces especially in Mombasa County who are bent on patronising anyone and everybody including tampering with the elections for their individual interests,” he said.

Reported by Eunice Machuhi, Mwakera Mwajefa and Gitonga Marete