Ford Kenya’s Majimbo Kalasinga bagged the Kabuchai parliamentary in what was viewed as a contest between Deputy President William Ruto and Ford Kenya party leader Moses Wetangula
Kalasinga garnered 19,274 votes against his closet rival Evans Kakai of the newly formed UDA who got 6,445 votes.
Amos Wekesa (Federal Party) came third with 1,454 while Gasper Wafubwa (Independent) got 1,236 votes, David Kibiti of Green Movement Party (233 votes), Jeremiah Marakkia (UDP) got 203 votes, Peter Kapanga (Independent) 802 while Stephen Barasa (MDP) got 141 votes.
Kalasinga garnered 65 per cent of the total cast votes with his closest rival Kakai getting 22 per cent of the casted votes. The voter turnout was 51 per cent.
Four members of parliament were arrested during the exercise for election related malpractices who included Didimus Barasa (Kimilili), Samson Cheraregei (Nandi), Wilson Kogo (Chesumei) and Nelson Koech (Belgut).
For Wetang’ula, it was a do or die for him bearing in mind that it was his home constituency and his loss will have dealt a blow to his national politics as he seeks coalitions ahead of 2022 succession politics.
“Do not embarrass me among my peers by voting in a person who is not from my party in my home turf,” Wetangula had told voters during the campaigns.
Political observers opined that the victory of Ford Kenya helps cement the fact that Wetang’ula still has a grip in Bungoma politics the third most populous county in the country.
“It is plus for Wetang’ula because he can now go out and bargain with other partners at the national front with Bungoma as his stronghold,” said Isaac Wanjekeche, a political commentator.
He said the victory further gives him an edge over internal party wrangles that was pitting him against Kanduyi MP Wafula Wamunyinyi who tried to oust him as party leader in a failed coup.
“Now that the coup plotters kept off supporting a Wetang’ula candidate and instead decided to fund secretly other candidates the Kalasinga victory is a message to them that Ford Kenya is still intact,” said Wanjekeche.
Kanduyi MP Wafula Wamunyinyi,his Tongaren counterpart Eseli Simiyu, Bungoma governor Wycliffe Wangmati have been fighting to oust Wetangula as Ford Kenya party leader.
