MP to honour Nyenze's work after election win

The new Kitui West MP has said she would prioritise the unfinished projects started by her husband.

Edith Nyenze, the widow of former area legislator Francis Nyenze, who died in December last year, said she would hit the road running once she was sworn in.

Mrs Nyenze, of Wiper party, was declared the winner of Monday's by-election after beating four rivals. The projects include roads and schools.

"My agenda is clear. The roads need reconstruction, especially after they were destroyed by rains. I will also complete classrooms and dormitories in several schools. I will complete chiefs’ offices,” Nyenze said from her Kyondoni village home, adding; "l will also ensure only the needy benefit from bursaries."

The MP-elect said she would organise boda boda operators into saccos and facilitate their training to reduce accidents.

Votes cast

"The victory in which I garnered 72 per cent of votes cast did not come as a surprise because people are behind me," said the new MP.

However, as Nyenze was basking in her victory, one of her rivals, Mutiso Leli of Narc Kenya, was threatening to challenge the outcome in court, claiming the election was not fair.

Leli, who was third with 1,784 votes against Mrs Nyenze's 14,372, claimed agents of the MP-elect intimidated his agents and even barred them from getting into polling stations. He also claimed voters were bribed.

“I raised the concerns with the electoral commission but nobody listened to me. It seemed there was a predetermined winner," he said.