WESTERN KINGPIN?

Weta clips DAP-K wings, delivers Bungoma to Ruto

Ford Kenya supremo sends home bitter political foes Wamunyinyi and Eseli.

In Summary
  • Wamunyinyi and Eseli are among those trounced by Ford Kenya candidates.
  • They were in Ford Kenya before they fell out with Wetang’ula and joined DAP-K.
Ford Kenya leader Moses Wetangula addressing a campaign rally in Nandi County on Friday, July 29, 2022.
Ford Kenya leader Moses Wetangula addressing a campaign rally in Nandi County on Friday, July 29, 2022.
Image: [SCREENGRAB]

Ford Kenya party leader Moses Wetang’ula has trounced allies-turned foes Wafula Wamunyinyi (Kanduyi) and Eseli Simiyu (Tongaren) in Tuesday’s General Election.

Wamunyinyi and Eseli, who are Democratic Action Party of Kenya party leader and secretary general respectively, lost their parliamentary seats to Ford Kenya candidates in the polls.

In the Kanduyi parliamentary race, Ford Kenya’s John Makali emerged the winner after garnering 32,099 votes against Wamunyinyi’s 20,240 votes.

ODM’s Alfred Khangati came third with 12,970 votes.

In Tongaren race, John Chikati of Ford K trounced Eseli after garnering 20,108 votes. Eseli only managed 9,802 votes.

Wamunyinyi and Eseli were in Ford Kenya before they fell out with Wetang’ula and joined DAP-K.

Overall, Wetang’ula delivered his home county of Bungoma to Deputy President William Ruto. Wamunyinyi and Eseli had endeavoured to make the county a DAP-K stronghold.

Provisional results on Thursday morning showed Ruto had garnered 229,409 votes in Bungoma which represented 63.15 per cent of the ballots counted.

Azimio’s Raila Odinga had 13,478 votes which represented 35.92 per cent of the ballots counted.

DAP-K is an affiliate of Azimio La Umoja-One Kenya Alliance. The party is associated with Defence Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa.

Eseli and Wamunyinyi ditched Ford Kenya and joined DAP-K in December last year.

The two have been involved in a protracted battle with Wetang'ula over control of Ford Kenya.

Wamunyinyi and Eseli moved to DAP-K and received tens of defectors from Ford Kenya.

Wrangles in Ford Kenya started in May 2020 after a section of its leaders resolved to dismiss Wetangula on the grounds of gross misconduct.

Wetang'ula was purportedly replaced by the Kanduyi MP as the interim party leader but the Bungoma senator rushed to court to stop the move.

Eseli has accused the Bungoma senator of hiding behind courts to remain as party leader. It was not long before Eseli and Wamunyinyi ditched Ford Kenya.

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