Khaniri loses election for the first time in 26 years

Outgoing Vihiga Senator George Khaniri has lost an election for the first time in 26 years.

Khaniri vied for Vihiga governor but lost to the incumbent,  Governor Wilber Ottichilo.

Ottichilo was declared winner of the concluded election at the county tallying centre. 

Khaniri has maintained a political record of winning elective seats since he succeeded his father Nicodemus Khaniri in a by-election to become Hamisi MP in 1996. 

The lawmaker was re-elected in 1997 general election on a Kanu ticket.

Khaniri was appointed by President Daniel Moi as an assistant minister for Public Works and Housing, a position he served from 1998 to 1999.

He was later moved to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development from 1999 to 2002 in the same capacity of assistant minister.

Khaniri later decamped to Narc and was re-elected in 2002 as the Hamisi MP.

He was appointed as assistant minister (2003-2004) under the President Mwai Kibaki administration, and later transferred to Tourism and Wildlife in same capacity in 2004 to 2005.

In 2007, Khaniri was re-elected as Hamisi MP on an ODM ticket, which won majority of the seats in Western. 

With the promulgation of the Constitution in 2010 that brought with it  devolution, the long-time lawmaker shifted to county seat.

In the 2013 general election, Khaniri vied for senator seat under the Musalia Mudavadi-led UDF party and successfully won. He later defended the seat in 2017 and won again.

“I will ensure Ottichilo goes home early in the morning for me to ensure the county gets sanity,” Khaniri said on his campaigns when declared interest in the governor seat. 

Ottichilo, who vied on a ODM ticket, garnered 82,313 votes. Former governor Moses Akaranga came second with 42,432 votes and Khaniri came a distant third with 28,496 votes.

Outgoing Sabatia MP Alfred Agoi who was vying on an ANC ticket got 26,088 votes and Francis Ominde of FPK came in last with 2,325 votes.