Kanu gets new lease of life after poll victory
Kanu chairman Gideon Moi in a jovial mood with his wife Zahra after winning Baringo County senatorial seat by a landslide. FILE| Photo/WYCLIFF KIPSANG
Kanu says it is confident of regaining its past glory after winning several seats in the Rift Valley region.
The party swept all the major seats in West Pokot during the just-ended elections. They include senator, governor, parliamentary and several county representative positions.
Prof John Lonyangapuo of Kanu won the senate seat with an overwhelming majority, beating Information Minister Samuel Poghisio of URP and assistant minister Julius Murgor of ODM.
Mr Simon Kachapin, also of Kanu, won the governor seat in the same county with over 60,000 votes. His closest rival, ODM’s Geofrey Lipale, garnered 22,000 votes.
Former MP Samuel Moroto, who vied on a Kanu ticket, won back the Kapenguria parliamentary seat.
After many years in the political cold, Kanu has come out with guns blazing, winning several key positions not only in West Pokot County, but also in Baringo County in the North Rift, a region that overwhelmingly voted for the Jubilee coalition.
Mr Kachapin said: “This time round, there was no predominant party in our county (West Pokot). What counted was an individual’s track record and how much one bonds with the public. This is what has made Kanu win most of the seats in this county,” he said.
Former Baringo Central MP Gideon Moi won the Baringo County Senate seat with 125,841 votes against 31,451 by URP’s Bishop Jackson Kosgei. Mr Edward Kateiya of ODM came a distant third with 8,904 votes.
Sleepless nights
Kanu’s influence has been giving Jubilee sleepless nights, with its presidential candidate Uhuru Kenyatta and his running mate William Ruto touring the area four times in the run-up to the elections to convince the residents to back them.
In his acceptance speech at the Baringo County Council Hall, where the results were announced by Baringo county returning officer Abraham Lagat, Mr Moi thanked the residents for trusting in his leadership.
“I will be your agent of change. If you voted for me, I say thank you, but if you did not, I wish to earn your trust,” he said.
