Aspirants in Magarini by-election engage in early campaigns

Amason Kingi, Owen Baya, Aisha Jumwa. [Standard Digital]

Five aspirants eyeing the Magarini MP seat have intensified campaigns at funerals and religious events in readiness for the by-election slated for November 27.

The seat was declared vacant after the Supreme Court upheld the nullification of Harrison Kombe's election in 2022 over ballot stuffing and altering election results.

Stanley Kenga, who contested the seat on a United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party in 2022, filed the petition seeking the nullification of Kombe (ODM).

Kombe of ODM, Kenga, Micheal Kingi of Pamoja Africa Alliance (PAA), Furaha Ngumbao of DCP and Karisa Chadi of the Roots Party have declared interest in the seat.

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For Kombe, Kenga and Kingi, this will be a rematch after they battled it out in the last election. Kombe got 11,946 votes, beating Kenga, who got 11,925.

Mr Kingi was third with 7,921 votes. Before he left for the U.S., DCP party leader Rigadhi Gachagua toured the constituency to drum up support for his candidate.

The parliamentary race will be a do or die for Kombe (ODM) and Kenga (UDA), all under the broad-based government.

There are fears in UDA and ODM that their candidates could split the broad-based votes, giving an edge to either the PAA or DCP candidate.

Kenga, who served as Adu Ward MCA, has promised to invest heavily in the education sector to change the lives of residents if elected.

He stated that he will work closely with the national and county governments and other partners to improve education standards.

"Education has always been close to my heart because I understand the power it has in changing an individual's life, and this is why I promise if elected to work with different stakeholders to make a better change in Magarini," said Kenga in one of his engagements with his electorate.

On the other hand, Kombe also expressed optimism about winning the seat with a landslide, adding that it's not the first time to be subjected to a similar situation.

"I started planning how to recapture the seat after the Supreme Court nullified my win, and this is why I am confident of recapturing it," said Kombe.

Kilifi ODM leaders, led by Governor Gideon Mung'aro, have thrown their weight behind Kombe to recapture the seat.

Last week PAA leaders led by Senate Speaker Amason Kingi dismissed UDA's request not to field a candidate for the by-election.

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Kingi said his party rejected the request because the two outfits do not have an agreement stating his party should not field a candidate in the by-election.

"All work plans are on course to have PAA candidate Michael Kingi recapture the seat. "We have done grassroots campaigns, and we are ready," said Kingi.

Kalama of the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) also exuded confidence of clinching the seat, stating that ODM and UDA had lost gripes in the Coast region.

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