Nyamweya is South Mugirango MP elect

By Kepher Otieno and Kenan Miruka

Manson Oyongo Nyamweya of Ford People is the new South Mugirango MP elect.

Nyamweya trounced eleven candidates to emerge the victor in the hotly contested by-elections that saw bitter rivals ODM and PDP lose the seat.

He was pronounced the winner by the Interim Independent Electoral Commission (IIEC)

returning officer Mr. Bonventure Obongoya at 5.40 am.

Nyamweya polled 14,099 votes beating the eleven contestants.† PDP’s Omingo Magara came

second with 8,885 votes ahead of ODM’s Ibrahim Ochoi who came third with 6,638 votes.

The fourth position was clinched by Kanu’s Joshua Ondora who garnered 1,231 While Rashid

Miyonga of PPK came fifth with 1,145 votes.

Others were Abaga Sagero NVP 243 votes,† Robert Ongaro of Safina 225 Ezekiel Okeng’o of

Narc-Kenya (143) and Ezekiel Nyangoya of Kenda (80).

Obongoya said the election witnessed a high voter turnout with 75 per cent of the 41,281

registered voters taking part.

Nyamweya thanked voters of South Mugirango and declared he will not let them down.

It was song and dance at the Nduru Boys School tallying centre as Nyamweya’s supporters

jubilated after the returning officer declared him MP elect.

"I thank God for this win and for peaceful polls. The electorate made a decision to support change. I will work for them and not for the interests of outsiders. I am so grateful," he said amid cheers.

Nyamweya becomes the first Ford People elected MP in the country.

He said that the race was tough but residents weathered the difficulties and voted for him on his promise to bring about the much needed change in the area.

His win surprised many who had perceived him to be a dark horse in the race but pundits point to last minute clan realignments as the reason behind his success.

While the two parties concentrated on countering propaganda peddled against them, Nyamweya conducted a door-to-door campaign.

Nyamweya is the one who filed an election petition immediately after the 2007 general elections which was largely marred by irregularities.

Lands minister James Orengo and Fisheries counterpart Paul Otuoma led MPs Simon Ogari,

Justus Kizito and ODM’s candidate-Ochoi to a press conference and conceded early defeat hours before the returning officer announced the official

results.

"Going by the results we have seen coming in, we believe our candidate has lost but that

is not the end of the fight. It’s just started," Orengo said.

Ochoi said, "When a soldier goes to the battle field he is psychologically prepared for a win or a loss. I concede defeat," he said and promised to work with the winner to initiate viable projects that would spur the economy of the constituency.

Orengo said ODM would retreat to the drawing board and scheme for 2012 general elections and exuded confidence that ODM was still a formidable party to reckon with.　

Nyamweya, a businessman and a certified public accountant clinched the seat after the fourth attempt. He first contested the seat in 1992.

Police maintained tight security and quelled any attempts to disrupt tallying by candidates’ supporters.