UDA sweeps all four MP seats in Kirinyaga

Deputy President William Ruto's UDA party is headed for strong victory in Kirinyaga's four National Assembly seats.

In results declared on Wednesday and Thursday, winners included Ndia's George Kariuki, Gichugu's Gichimu Githinji, Gachoki Gitari (Kirinyaga Central) and incoming, first-term Mwea MP-elect Mary Maingi.

Gitari clinched the seat with a total of 34,074 votes against his closest opponent and the incumbent, Jubilee's MP Munene Wambugu, who garnered 22,591 votes.

Gitari thanked the electoral agency officials for being professional in their work. He thanked voters for their turnout.

He pledged not to violate their trust but to serve them dutifully to the best of his ability.

The wins indicate the party is the most popular and strongly grounded in the county.

In Gichugu, incumbent MP Githinji on Thursday was declared winner with 33,889 votes after defeating nine opponents. His closest rival, Peterson Njomo Muchira, came second with 15,069 votes.

The constituency has 65,736 registered voters.

Speaking after being awarded with the IEBC certificate, Gichimu thanked voters for giving him a second chance.

He promised to use his position to work for all Gichugu residents, whether or not they supported him.

In Kirinyaga Central, Gachoki Gitari recaptured the seat after having outside the political arena or five years.

In populous Mwea, Mary Maingi was declared MP-elect after garnering 50,667 votes against the Jubilee's Kabinga Wachira who received 31,735 votes.

On Wednesday,UDA's George Kariuki was declared Ndia MP-elect after winning 25,031 votes.

Furthermore, the party also took the lion's share of 17 MCAs out of 20. The other three were won by The Service Party (TSP) and the Jubilee Party.

Winners of the governor, senator and woman representative's posts were yet to be declared by the electoral agency but it appeared UDA is on the way to clinching the position. 

(Edited by V. Graham)