Chege Njuguna wins UDA party ticket in Kandara
Chege Njuguna has clinched the UDA party ticket in the just concluded primaries in Kandara constituency.
Njuguna garnered 7,826 followed by Titus Njau in the second position with 5,335 votes, Stephen Mwaura who came in third with attained 4,414, James Kamau took the fourth position with 2,191 and Evelyn Waithira got 1,267 at number five.
The contest had attracted 14 candidates who were eyeing the ticket in preparation for the by-election slated for January 5, 2023.
Njuguna was in the race to secure Kandara parliamentary seat in the August poll where he came in second after the immediate former MP Alice Wahome.
He was vying with the Chama Cha Kazi party ticket and he garnered 19,260 votes against Wahome who garnered 39,009 votes.
His intensive campaigns before the August polls could have given him an upper hand against his opponents.
His win also indicates the political dynamic in the area with people opting to go their way other than where they were being directed.
Speaking after his victory, Njuguna said;
"I'd like to convey my heartfelt appreciation to all who came out today and voted for me to be the UDA flag bearer. I'm humbled and honoured to have won. I urge all Kandara residents to come out in large numbers and vote for me on January 5th to stamp this win. This win is a win for all Kandara residents. The journey to making Kandara a model constituency is about to begin in earnest. God bless you all and God bless Kandara."
An immediate former member of parliament had given indirect indications of the candidate she was preferring to take the ticket and subsequently become the new representative.
Though she did not openly campaign for her preferred candidate, people working in her office were doing the grassroots lobbying for him.
Speaking during a tour of her backyard last week, Wahome said the residents will have the final say in who will get the ticket.
She also pledged to work closely with whoever will be elected to the seat to help steer the development agenda in the area.
"Make a wise decision and get a leader who will deliver quality leadership," Wahome asked her former constituents.
