Uasin Gishu Governor Mandago retains seat as Prof Kamar, Shollei clinch Senator, Woman Rep positions

Kapseret re-elected MP Oscar Sudi (right) and Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago celebrate their win at Wareng High School Kapseret Constituency tallying centre [Boniface Okendo,Standard]

Uasin Gishu County Governor Jackson Mandago has won the governor's  contest on a Jubilee ticket beating his closest and only rival Bundotich Zedekiah Kiprop (Buzeki) in a hotly contested race.                       

Mandago garnered 193,606 votes against Buzeki's 148,121 in all the six constituencies in Uasin Gishu.

The incumbent had beaten Buzeki in the Jubilee Party primaries in April when he polled 120,000 votes against the latter's 84,000.

Mandago beat his competitor in five constituencies out of the six that make up Uasin Gishu.

Buzeki only led Mandago in his Ainabkoi Constituency backyard with a range of about 5000 votes.                       

In Soy Mandago got 39,849 against Buzeki's 24,373, in Turbo he led with 42,796 votes against 38,615, in Moiben it was 28, 609 versus 23,295, Kapsaret 30,308 against 19,741,  and in Kesses 33,193 against 18,219.

Buzeki won in Moiben where he hit 23,878 versus Mandago's 18,849.                       

In the Women Representative contest, Jubilee's Gladys Boss Shollei was declared the winner in a race that had five contestants.

Shollei garnered 224,922 votes, beating the second in the race Rael Chebichii Lelei with a huge margin of 139,000 votes.

Lelei who had lost in the Jubilee Party Primaries to Shollei but contested the results got 85,606 votes.

Grace Kendagor of Maendeleo Chap Chap was third with 7,313, Josephine Jeruto of Kanu was fourth with 5,446 and Moira Chepkok of the Amani National Congress  was at the tail end with 1,503 votes.                       

Shollei will be the second Uasin Gishu Woman Representative, succeeding Eusilah Ngeny who lost in the primaries in which she conceded defeat.                       

Prof Margaret Kamar beat four men to become the Uasin Gishu Senator- elect, succeeding  Isaac Melly who lost in the party primaries.

Kamar garnered 229,724 votes beating  Robert Kemei who vied on an independent ticket managing 87, 290 votes; Thomas Murgor of the Orange Democratic Movement who got 16,369; Philip Kiyeng of the Labour Development Party (LDP) who had  5,840 and Emiliano Tonui of Kanu who got 2,352 votes.

Kemei had lost to Kamar on the Jubilee Party primaries in April  and ran as an independent  amid claims that he had been shortchanged by the party.

             

"It has been an amazing journey full of learning experiences, I appreciate the support and advice. You will never regret that you elected me," Gladys Shollei said in her victory speech.                        

"It is a journey guided by God and I am happy for the massive support.  I sincerely appreciate. My promise was to serve and that is what I will just do to ensure all of us benefit from the fruits of devolution," said Margaret Kamar.

She extended an olive branch to her competitors, saying she was ready to walk together with  like-minded leaders to transform Uasin Gishu.