Laikipia County Assembly will be dominated by new faces after a majority of the incumbent Members of County Assembly (MCAs) were trounced by newcomers in the just concluded August 9 general elections.
Majority of those who won had contested through the United Democratic Alliance party (UDA) ticket. Laikipia which has 15 county assembly wards saw only six MCAs re-elected.
Out of the six MCAs, four of those who made a comeback were from the UDA party. George Kairuiru polled 3,979 votes from Olmoran ward, Irene Wachuka secured her Igwamiti seat with 8,935 votes, Catherine Nyokabi got 5,069 votes in Ngobit ward, MCA Umande ward, Daniel Mugweru had 5,120 votes and Stephen Ndiritu won with 5,055 votes.
Wachuka and Nyokabi were the only two women MCA candidates who won the August 9 poll in Laikipia to represent the electorate in the county assembly.
Speaking after getting the winner’s certificate from Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Returning officer Tabitha Ndirangu at Thingithu boys’ secondary school which acted as Laikipia East tallying centre, Nyokabi said it was an intense campaign and thanked Ngobit ward residents for re-electing her.
“I thank God for enabling me to reach up to this point. The journey hasn’t been easy. For Ngobit residents, I will serve you fairly,” said the legislator.
Two other MCAs who reclaimed their seats in the hotly contested elections were Samuel Mugambi from Salama ward and emerged victorious with 2,245 votes. He vied through The Service Party (TSP) ticket. Samuel Kanyutu defended his seat as an independent candidate and garnered 6,638 votes.
TSP is led by Former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri, now Laikipia East MP-elect having trounced the incumbent Mohamed Deddy in the just concluded elections.
Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party bagged only two MCA seats from Mukogodo and Sossian wards respectively.
