Waiguru retains Kirinyaga seat
Kirinyaga county Governor Anne Waiguru has successfully defended her gubernatorial seat in the just concluded general election.
Governor Waiguru garnered at least 113, 088 votes against her close competitor, outgoing Woman Representative Wangui Ngirici who managed 105, 677 votes in the hotly contested race.
Waiguru defended the seat on a UDA ticket to floor seven other candidates who had been clamouring for the county's top seat.
Two of the candidates, namely outgoing Senator Charles Kibiru of the Jubilee party and Chomba Ndau of KADU Asili have since conceded defeat.
However, Kirinyaga woman representative Wangui Ngirici still has her foot on the acceleration pedal as she has shown signs of disputing the election.
Wangui has expressed concern over the tallying.
Waiguru who was once a strong ally of President Uhuru Kenyatta decamped from the Jubilee party after claiming that it is not popular within the Mt Kenya region.
Governor Waiguru claimed that 'the ground had shifted' towards Deputy President Dr William Ruto UDA party whose move to the party pushed out her closest political nemesis Wangui Ngirici.
After leaving the party, the outgoing Woman Representative Wangui settled on an independent ticket in a bid to unseat Governor Waiguru.
She gave Waiguru a run for her money in the run-up to the election, but the UDA euphoria in the region had already stamped Waiguru's ticket, sealing Wangui's fate.
In her acceptance speech, Waiguru said that her government will ensure the completion of all county government projects which are underway.
“I want to thank the people of Kirinyaga because of the confidence that you have shown in me. Despite everything we went through they kept their faith in us and we managed to get this seat,” Waiguru stated.
“From the very bottom of my heart…the best husband someone can have…Kamotho. Most of you say I am always looking very calm, it is because he carries the load, a lot of times behind the scenes. If it wasn’t for him I would not have made it beyond these past 5 days. Thank you for being there, for the support to the family,” she added.
It is worth noting that most candidates affiliated with DP Ruto's party have won in their respective positions.
Among them include all four members of the national assembly led by Gachoki Gitari of Kirinyaga Central, Gichugu constituency's Gichimu Githinji, Mary Maingi of Mwea and lastly George Kariuki of Ndia.
Also, James Kamau Murango has clinched the senatorial seat by garnering 196,151 votes.
The woman Rep elect, Jane Njeri Maina has received 175,001 votes out of the total votes cast
All the above leaders who have won the August 9 elections have been vying on a UDA party ticket.
The DP William Ruto-led party has also bagged all four Members of the national assembly.
In Gichugu, the incumbent Gichimu Githinji and Ndia MP George Kariuki managed to retain their seats.
In Kirinyaga Central, Gachoki Gitari made a come back to represent the Constituency at the national assembly while Mary Maingi captured the Mwea constituency seat from the out-going Jubilee party candidate Kabinga Wachira.
