- Malala congratulated the winner ODM's Fernandes Barasa and his running mate Ayub Savula for civilised campaigns.
- While conceding defeat, Malala asked other leaders to learn to admit defeat when beaten in any contest.
Image: HILTON OTENYO
ANC governor candidate Cleophas Malala has conceded defeat in the Kakamega race.
Malala said the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission conducted a transparent and accountable election.
“We have received and tallied our results and realised that we lost the election to our opponents. No vote was stolen,” Malala told journalists at Kakamega’s golf hotel on Tuesday.
“We did everything needed and put in our best. This is only the beginning of a new dawn. We leave the race with our heads high. I have conceded the results because we will have elections every five years."
Malala congratulated the winner ODM's Fernandes Barasa and his running mate Ayub Savula for civilised campaigns.
He said he was ready to work with Barasa and his deputy in pushing the development agenda of the county forward.
“I thank all those who voted for me and even those who didn’t. It’s now time to reunite as a county and move forward,” he said.
Malala was accompanied by former Mumias East MP Ben Washiali.
He said Barasa and Savula should feel free to borrow any idea in his manifesto that they feel was good for implementation for the benefit of the people.
Kakamega county returning officer Joseph Ayata declared Barasa the winner after garnering 192,929 votes, Malala polled 159,508, UDP’s Cyrus Jirongo with 5,974, Michael Osundawa (independent candidate) managed 1,146 while Kanu’s Suleiman Sumba got 1,078 votes.
Samuel Omukoko of MDP got 761 and Optiso Otieno who also contested as an independent candidate 150 votes.
While conceding defeat, Malala asked other leaders to learn to admit defeat when beaten in any contest.
The former senator told youths that the outcome of the election was the beginning of a brighter future.
Washiali said although there was adequate security during the elections, some officers did not understand basic requirements and ended up arresting voters arbitrarily.
Washiali said the law should be formulated to create a special police force to man elections because it requires people with knowledge.
“It is interesting that when officers find a supporter showing voters how to mark the ballot say they were stuffing ballots," Washiali said.
Barasa comes to office against a backdrop of a sharply divided county pitting the southerners against northerners and his first agenda will be the healing process.
(Edited by Tabnacha O)