Machage loses senatorial bid to former ODM councillor

By Nick Oluoch

Kuria, Kenya: Former Kuria MP Wilfred Machage’s senatorial ambition hit a dead end when his opponent took an early lead.

Former Migori County chairman Joseph Magaiwa continued leading in the race as provisional results trickled in from various constituencies.

However, moments before the results were announced, all returning officers were said to be unavailable forcing Joseph Nyambori, the ODM Migori Constituency Organising Secretary to announce ‘the results.’

Nyambori maintained he had been instructed by the party headquarters to announce the provisional results that declared Magaiwa the winner of the party nomination.

“I am only announcing the results as they came from the constituencies,” he said.

And although he performed quite well in Kuria region, the other parts of the county overwhelmingly voted for Magaiwa, a fact attributed to deep suspicion by the voters that the former MP had simply crossed over to ‘get’ the ODM nominations and wasn’t keen to be part of the party.

Speaking in Migori town a few days before the nominations, Machage had sought to assure the residents that he was firmly in ODM and would abide by party laws.