Nicholas Biwott aide wins MP seat

A former personal assistant of the late Cabinet minister Nicholas Biwott was on Thursday declared the winner of Ainabkoi constituency parliamentary seat.

Independent candidate, Mr William Chepkut beat Samuel Chepkonga of Jubilee despite the latter enjoying support from the ruling party.

Mr Chepkut garnered 23, 216 votes against Mr Chepkong’a’s 19, 140 votes.

According to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), Ainabkoi constituency has 54, 797 registered voters.

Ainabkoi IEBC Returning Officer Sally Chesang’, who presented Mr Chepkut with his certificate following the victory said that there was 78.48 per cent voter turnout.

Other two candidates in the race Raymond Cherono (Kanu) and Wycliffe Mosi (independent) managed 190 and 160 votes respectively.

Mr Chepkut’s entry in the race as an independent candidate presented an almost similar contest to the 2013 election in the constituency.

He lost to Mr Chepkong’a by a significant margin.

In 2013, Mr Chepkong’a garnered 22, 328 votes ahead of Mr Chepkut, who was vying on Mr Biwott’s party National Vision Party, who only managed 7,826 votes.

Speaking to the press after receiving his certificate, Mr Chepkut lauded the electoral agency for conducting a free and fair election.

He reiterated that he will serve all the residents of Ainabkoi equally by ensuring that he completes all the projects initiated by his predecessor.

“I am extending an olive branch to my brother Chepkong’a by asking him to join me in serving the people of Ainabkoi. We need each other in ensuring the development of this great constituency,” he said.