Low turn out in Machakos by-election as Agnes Kavindu wins.

Wiper Democratic Movement candidate in the just concluded Machakos senatorial by-election Agnes Kavindu Muthama has been declared the winner of the seat after beating ten other candidates who contested for the seat that was left vacant following the death of then-senator Borniface Kabaka.

Kavindu was declared by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission – IEBC’s Machakos County returning officer Joyce Nakhanu Wamalwa after she garnered a total of 104,352 votes against her close competitor Urbanus Ngengele of United Democratic Alliance who garnered a total of 19,726.

“As the county returning officer I hereby declare that Agnes Kavindu Muthama has been duly elected as a senator for Machakos county in the election held on 18th March 2021,” declared the returning officer amid celebrations from Kavindu and her supporters.

According to the results, other candidates scored as follows, Mutua Katuku of Maendeleo Chap Chap got 1476 votes, Francis Musembi 1461, Simeon Kitheka 1448, Mwanza Nduku 927, Musingi Kioko 687, Nthenge Musembi 159, Jonathan Mawen 155, Nthama Nzau 131 while Muindi Masai came last with 95 votes.

Machakos county had a total of 623,536 registered voters out of which 130,617 votes were valid in the by-election while 1323 votes were rejected during the exercise.

However, the turnout in the by-election was the poorest in the history of IEBC as far as by-elections are concerned after only 21% of the electorate turned up to participate in the election.

Mrs. Wamalwa noted the low turn out in the election and raised concern terming it the lowest ever turn out experienced in an election and called upon politicians as the main stakeholders to sensitize the electorate to turn up in large numbers in the future during the 2022 general elections or even the BBI referendum to exercise their constitutional mandate.

On her part when she spoke after being declared and handed over the winning certificate Kavindu promised to work with other leaders including her competitors who lost and other leaders in the county and the region to deliver to the people of Machakos county.

The senator-elect appreciated the support she received from Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and President Uhuru Kenyatta to win the seat promising to support the political course of Kalonzo in his bid to vie for the seat of president in 2022 while she also supports president Uhuru Kenyatta’s BBI course and other development agenda as he prepares to leave office next year.

However, Kavindu and other leaders from Ukambani who accompanied her cautioned leaders who are undermining the leadership of Kalonzo Musyoka ahead of the 2022 elections declaring that the journey has started and the senatorial by-election has shown the way forward for the Kamba Nation.

They pointed out Machakos governor Dr. Alfred Mutua as the one who was a stumbling block in their bid to retain the senatorial seat urging him to cooperate with Wiper leader and the Wiper party in their course to win the 2022 presidential seat.

“I call upon my fellow competitors who lost in this by-election to come and we work together for the sake of delivering to the people of Machakos and further call upon governor Mutua to cooperate as I start over-sighting his government and those who said that I am not capable to watch this space,” said Kavindu as he addressed after being declared the winner of the seat.

Contrary to other by-elections that are full of tension, chaos, and claims of bribery, the Machakos senatorial by-election was the most peaceful with no much competition and no single incident formally reported during the voting exercise.

Earlier during the campaigns, many people thought the contest was to be tight between Wiper’s Kavindu and UDA’s Ngengele and Chap Chap’s Mutua Katuku but the case was totally different especially after Maendeleo Chap Chap withdrew its candidate Mutua Katuku from the race a day to the voting.