Wamalwa allies lose in elections

Photo/FILE

Saboti MP Eugene Wamalwa.

Councillors allied to Saboti MP Eugene Wamalwa lost their seats in council elections held in Bungoma County on Monday as Ford Kenya and ODM civic leaders united to stamp their authority in the region.

Mr Meshack Museveni of Ford Kenya is the new Bungoma County Council chairman after beating Mr Julius Bakasa by 35 votes to 9.

At the Bungoma Municipal Council, former mayor Barasa Mbinga lost to ODM’s Patrick Sulechi.

Mr Bakasa and Mr Mbinga are known to be key supporters of Mr Wamalwa.

Mr Museveni, a pointman of Sirisia MP Moses Wetang’ula, was the vice chairman before his election.

Ford Kenya now controls all the councils in the county after similar wins in Webuye and Kimilili.

Elections which were to be held at the Mt Elgon County Council were stopped by a court order.

In Butere-Mumias County Council, 20 councillors accused Cotu secretary-general Francis Atwoli of interfering with the elections.

The civic leaders argued that Mr Atwoli was supporting a former chairman in the elections slated for July 14.

In Gucha, confusion marred the county council polls after a court order was issued stopping the civic leaders from proceeding with elections.

Councillor John Matagaro had moved to court to challenge the council elections.

Through lawyer David Okatch, Mr Matagaro argued that the clerk to the council, Mr Amphrey Gitu, had flouted election laws.

The case will now be heard on July 14.

Stories by John Shilitsa, Jackline Moraa and Erick Ngobilo