Waititu win puts pollsters’ credibility to question

Kiambu County Gubernatorial Aspirant Ferdinand Waititu addressing the press conference at the Jubilee party headquarters in Nairobi on Monday, April 24, 2017. PHOTO | DENNIS ONSONGO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Infotrack showed Mr Kabogo would get 48.9 per cent of the votes against Mr Waititu’s 31.8 per cent, if the General Election was to be held on April 7.
  • In Nairobi, the pollster said Dr Evans Kidero would be re-elected as governor by 35.3 per cent of voters in the General election.
  • In Meru, the pollster said Senator Kiraitu Murungi would lose to incumbent Peter Munya in the Governor’s race.
  • Survey showed Mombasa governor Hassan Joho would retain his seat by garnering 62.8 per cent of the votes, beating Suleiman Shabhal of Jubilee (8.2 per cent ) and Wiper’s senator Hassan Omar (2.6 per cent).

The credibility of opinion polls is being questioned following a decisive win by Kabete MP Ferdinand Waititu against Kiambu Governor William Kabogo.

The two were competing for the gubernatorial seat during the Jubilee Party nominations in Kiambu County.

The MP garnered 353,604 votes against the incumbent’s 69,916.

It comes barely three weeks after an opinion poll by Infotrack showed Mr Kabogo would get 48.9 per cent of the votes against Mr Waititu’s 31.8 per cent, if the General Election was to be held on April 7.

By getting the Jubilee ticket, Mr Waititu is almost certain of being elected Kiambu governor in the August 8, polls because the county is one of the party’s strongholds.

NAIROBI TEST

All eyes will now be on other counties that were featured by pollsters.

In Nairobi, the pollster said Dr Evans Kidero would be re-elected as governor by 35.3 per cent of voters in the General election.
According to Infotrack, his closest challenger for the capital’s gubernatorial seat would be Nairobi Senator Mike Sonko, who is competing for the Jubilee Party ticket in primaries taking place Wednesday.

The poll, conducted between March 18 and 19, this year placed Mr Sonko, who was supported by 23 per cent of the voters in Nairobi, in second place.

Former Gatanga MP Peter Kenneth was placed third in the race at 20.2 per cent.

Mr Kenneth is challenging the senator for the Jubilee ticket in the party primaries.

JOHO POPULARITY

Unlike in the Kiambu scenario, they are vying for the governor’s office on different political parties and thus they will only face off in the election.

In Meru, the pollster said Senator Kiraitu Murungi would lose to incumbent Peter Munya in the Governor’s race.

Infotrak Harris Survey showed that 41.1 per cent of residents would support the latter while 29 per cent would vote for the former.

In Mombasa, the survey showed incumbent Hassan Joho would retain his seat by garnering 62.8 per cent of the votes, beating Suleiman Shabhal of Jubilee (8.2 per cent ) and Wiper’s senator Hassan Omar (2.6 per cent).

The contest, also unlike in Kiambu will have to be decided in the General Election since the rivals are in different political parties.