UDA Candidates Floor Opponents in Kandara, Garissa By-Elections

The United Democratic Alliance- UDA retained the Kandara and Garissa Township parliamentary seats which fell vacant after the resignation of Water Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome and Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale respectively.

UDA candidate in the Garissa Township Constituency by-election, Dekow Mohamed, won the seat after garnering 11,572 votes to help President Wiliam Ruto's party retain the seat.

According to official results released by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), Dekow won the seat ahead of Nasir Mohamed of the United Democratic Movement (UDM) who got 8,158 votes.

The UDA candidate managed to wade off sibling competition from his UDM opponent, a signatory party under the Kenya Kwanza Alliance.

Garissa Township MP Dekow Mohamed receives his winning certificate after winning the by-election on January 5, 2022.

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Analysts had warned that competition between the two parties risked giving away the seat to the Orange Democratic Movement party candidate in the mini-polls.

However, Dekow - who had the blessing of Defence CS Aden Duale - defied the prediction in the region where clan politics play a central role in elective seats.

UDA also won the Kandara seat after Charles Karanja managed to bag 21,650 votes in a race that manifested stiff competition from independent candidates and other parties.

Ford Asili's Titus Njau Mbuchu came in second in the race after garnering 14,678 votes.

Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro congratulated Njuguna for his win and expressed his confidence that the newly-elected leader would deliver on his new mandate.

"Congratulations Chege Njuguna - UDA Candidate, on winning the Kandara MP seat decisively. Congratulations to the great people of Kandara for the confidence," Nyoro stated.

In Elgeyo Marakwet, Independent candidate Tim Kipchumba congratulated UDA’s Kipsang before the election results were announced.

In a statement, Kipchumba conceded defeat to Wilson Kipsang with preliminary results showing that he was headed to a resounding victory.

"A few minutes to midnight yesterday, I called Sen Hon Kipsang and congratulated him. I assured him of my support as my Senator and the Senator-elect of Elgeyo Marakwet," Kichumba stated.

Activist Jerotich Seii, who was also a candidate in the mini-polls conceded defeat and congratulated Kipsang.