ODM's Steve Kariuki wins Mathare parliamentary seat

Mathare constituency MP elect Steve Kariuki.

Nairobi, Kenya: ODM candidate Steve Kariuki Monday night clinched the Mathare constituency parliamentary seat in a closely contested by-election.

According to provisional results, Kariuki polled 14,966 while his closest challenger George Wanjohi of TNA trailed him with 14,082.

The by-election followed a successful petition by Kariuki against the election of Wanjohi in the March 2013 General Election.

Kariuki's supporters broke into song and dance, soon after the provisional results were announced, celebrating the win of their candidate. Independepent Electoral and Boundaries Commission had a hard time controlling the crowd that was dancing in the tallying hall at St. Teresa's Girls Primary School.

Wanjohi, whose election was nullified in a court ruling was defending the seat that was also being contested by seven other candidates.

Other candidates in the poll were William Omondi (Independent) who came in third with 194 votes, Crispus Fwamba Nyangangali (Maendeleo Democratic Party) 66, Mariam Muthoni Macharia (Independent) 39, Sammy Jentruo Mudanya (Progressive Party of Kenya) 37, Barack Obat Blasto (Independent) 19, Billian Okoth Ojiwa (National Labour Party) 15 and Nixon Kavai Inziria (Independent) with 11 votes.

Omondi was cleared by the IEBC on Tuesday afternoon, only six days to voting day.

All the nine candidates cast their vote early in the morning, each hoping to represent the constituency for the three and a half years. Electronic Voter Identification Devices were used in each polling station while transmission of provisional results is being done electronically from each polling stream.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) had hired 230 presiding and deputy presiding officers as well as 460 polling clerks for the election.

The by-election registered 33.42% voter turnout with candidates attributing the low numbers to voter's apathy following the postponement of the voting day from August 7 to August 11.

A total of 29,429 votes were cast, 220 of the rejected.