Mixed fortunes for politicians who switched camps before polls

Politicians who decamped from various parties got mixed fortunes in the just concluded election in Kisii and Nyamira counties.

The biggest winners are Borabu MP Patrick Osero and his Kitutu Chache South counterpart Anthony Kibagendi, having decamped in the run-up to the polls.

They bagged the seats on ODM tickets after decamping from President-elect William Ruto’s side.

Their change of political allegiance was due to the perception that the region was pro-Azimio presidential candidate Raila Odinga.

Kibagendi was, until early this year, the director of youth affairs at Ruto’s office, while Osero is a long time close associate of the President-elect.

Osero garnered 15, 901 votes against youthful politician Daniel Rogena’s 14, 173 votes. 

It was Osero’s fourth stab at the seat having lost three previous elections. He is the son of former West Mugirango MP Joseph Osero.

“It’s true decamping to ODM helped be bag the seat. It was a strategic move because ODM is the most popular party here,” he said. 

In Nyamira, North Mugirango MP Joash Nyamoko is the only Ruto ally who was elected.

In Kitutu Chache South, Kibagendi garnered 14,478 votes, while Wiper’s Andrew Maubi got 10,378 and Eric Abuga of UPA was third with 4,131.

The biggest casualties were Kisii Deputy Governor Joash Maangi and former South Mugirango MP Omingo Magara who both lost their bid to become Kisii senator. Outgoing Senator Sam Ongeri lost his bid to become governor

Magara quit as UDA national treasurer and joined Jubilee while Maangi left ODM for UDA. They lost to ODM’s Richard Onyonka.

Onyonka clinched the seat after garnering 173,189 votes followed by Magara who had 121,339 votes while Maangi was third with 54,473 votes.  

Magara is likely to challenge Onyonka’s win in court while Maangi will be angling for an appointment in government following Ruto’s win.

Ongeri defected to DAP-K from ODM, but failed in his bid for Kisii governor, finishing a distant fifth.

In Kisii, county seats were dominated by Azimio-allied politicians with ODM’s Simba Arati bagging the governor seat while former Egesa FM presenter Dorice Donya Aburi of Wiper clinched the woman representative’s seat.

(edited by Amol Awuor)