Governors Kabogo, Ranguma still popular, says new poll

If elections were to be held today, Kiambu Governor William Kabogo and his Kisumu counterpart Jack Ranguma would win.

According to latest survey by Infotrak, Mr Kabogo would triumph over his challenger, Kabete MP Ferdinand Waititu with 48.9 per cent, while his close challenger, the MP, stood at 31.8 per cent.

The two will face off in the Jubilee nominations on April 21, even as the pollster indicated that a massive 14.6 per cent of those polled were still undecided on who they would support.

Other contestants James Nyoro, Kabogo’s opponent in the last elections, coming third at a paltry with 4.5 per cent, followed by David Nguri, John Mugwe and Aquiline Njoki, each at one per cent.

The results were released at a time Kabogo and Waititu hit headlines when their supremacy battle stood out and overshadowed President Uhuru Kenyatta’s tour to the region on Wednesday this week.

Their supporters stirred drama when they tried to outdo each other with their theatrics, a spectacle that compelled Uhuru to intervene.

The Infotrak poll also put Mr Ranguma ahead of his rivals and has parked uproar in Kisumu. The findings showed the incumbent enjoys a popularity rating of 58.7 per cent of eligible voters in Kisumu, a margin of over 50 per cent against his closest competitors Senator Anyang’ Nyong’o (8.7per cent) and businessman Hezron McObewa (6.8 per cent).

According Infotrak CEO Angela Ambitho, so serious were the jitters caused by the survey that three aspirants reportedly called her soon after they concluded data collection, trying to delay the release of the results.

“We had to surprise everyone with the release because some people were trying to influence the release,” she said.

She however denied claims the survey had been manipulated in favour of certain candidates.

A section of aspirants seat yesterday claimed the poll had been manipulated.

“I knew about those results even before they came out and how they have been manipulated. We are confident of winning and we are not worried,” said Prof Nyong’o.

He said the findings were not a reflection of what the ground was like and was simply “meant to justify that Ranguma is popular.”

McObewa said: “This is fake news. Ranguma sponsored the poll and paid for it.”

Ruth Odinga, rated fourth in popularity, said she was no longer in the race.

Prof Gordon Wayumba, who was among three other candidates whose popularity the findings showed were insignificant, also dismissed the poll.

Political parties are supposed to have completed their primaries by April 26.

[Story by Brigid Chemweno, Dalton Nyabundi and Michael Chepkwony]