UDA’s Beatrice Kemei elected unopposed as Kericho woman representative
Beatrice Kemei is the next Woman Representative for Kericho County.
The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party candidate was elected unopposed alongside two other candidates seeking Member of County Assembly seats as confirmed by a recent gazette notice released by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEBC).
The two are Julius Kimutai of the National Agenda Party of Kenya (NAPK) and Issa Abdi (UDA), from Ravine ward in Baringo county and Sabena ward in Garissa county respectively.
Beatrice Kemei shines
Beatrice Kemei emerged as the sole candidate in the Woman Rep contest after trouncing five aspirants in the UDA party primaries held in April.
Beatrice Kemei emerged as the winner with 87,182 votes, beating the current Woman rep, Florence Bore, who finished second with 64,651 votes.
The race didn't attract candidates from other parties. Independents also shied away from the contest.
Beatrice Kemei, popularly known as Chebabai (The happy one) in his home county, unsuccessfully contested for the Woman Rep seat in the 2017 polls on a Party of Democracy and Reform (PDR) party ticket.
She managed 111,236 votes in the area which was at the time a Jubilee stronghold.
In a past interview, the candidate attributed her success in the recent UDA primaries to her constant engagement with locals despite the 2017 heartbreak.
“I kept in touch with the electorate and whenever called upon, I would engage in various socio-economic activities,” Kemei told a local publication.
She now joins a list of a few members of parliament who have been elected unopposed in the past including Kimani Ichung'wa (Kikuyu) and Moses Kuria (Gatundu South).
