Janet Jepkemboi Sitienei clinches Turbo parliamentary seat

Janet Jepkemboi Sitienei photo:courtesy

Janet Jepkemboi Sitienei an independent candidate clinches the Turbo Parliamentary seat beating Jubilee's Kevin Okwara to second place as the highly awaited results were read by returning officer Michael Mose.

Sitienei who had lost to Okwara during the jubilee party primaries garnered 37, 854 votes to beat her main challenger who got 31, 928 votes.

Tension was high at Uasin Gishu Primary School the constituency's tallying Centre as supporters eagerly awaited the results for the third day running since the voting exercise closed on Tuesday August 8, 2017.

Uasin Gishu County governor Jackson Mandago and Moiben MP Silas Tired who are likely to retain their seats according to the provisional results joined Sitienei in waiting for the results and even raised concern with the Returning Officer over delays, though the latter urged them to keep calm and respect the process.

Immediately after she received her certificate from Mose there were shouts and songs of victory in the hall that had a heavy presence of police officers.

Sitienei contested for the Turbo Constituency Member of National Assembly seat on a Wiper ticket after losing in the United Republican Party (URP) but lost to the outgoing MP Elisha Busienei.

Her win means that Turbo Constituency the home of the Deputy President and Jubilee Deputy Party Leader William Ruto will be represented in the August House by an independent candidate.

This is the second parliamentary seat in Uasin Gishu which has six constituencies that we be represented by an independent candidate.

William Chepkut also an independent Candidate beat Samuel Chepkonga of Jubilee to take the Ainabkoi Constituency mantle of representation in the National Assembly.

Jubilee however has retained four MPs in Kesses, Kapsaret, Soy and Moiben where Dr Swarrup Mishra, Oscar Sudi, Caleb Kostinany and Tiren won. Mishra and Kositany are first time MPs.

Orange Democratic Movement's David Songok was third in the Turbo race after getting 10, 026 votes.