Brian Achieng wins South Gem by-election
Nyanza
By
Isaiah Gwengi
| Dec 09, 2022
Independent candidate Brian Achieng is the winner of the hotly contested South Gem ward by-election held on Thursday.
Achieng' garnered 3,569 votes against his closest competitor Polycarp Wanga of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party, who got 3,453 votes, beating seven other candidates.
The election was, however, marred with chaos in some polling stations where supporters of the candidates decried voter bribery and violence.
As a result, at least eight people were injured and three vehicles damaged after chaos broke out in Aluor and Kambare polling stations.
Police said the chaos temporarily disrupted the election exercise.
READ MORE
What we know about the South C building collapse
NTSA flags drunk driving, faulty speed limiters as 25 killed in road crashes
Ending digital violence not a 'women's only issue'
Ngugi wa Thiong'o and the African literary revolution
Why government should play greater role in fight against GBV
There's no shame for an abused man to seek justice and healing
My experience at SA's G20 Women's shutdown
Let's stop domestic conflicts turning into child murder
Thunder revolution: How city club is shaping the future of Kenyan basketball
Women's rights activists call for release of GBV taskforce report
IEBC suspended the election for the MCA seat following the death of ODM candidate Nick Wanga in July this year.
Before the August 9, 2022 elections, the seat was held by David Audi, who won in 2017 after beating ODM's candidate Peter Lolwe with 9,329 votes against 2,988.
According to the IEBC data, South Gem has 18,560 registered voters.
The candidates traversed the ward in a bid to sell their agendas to the electorates.
Last week, the ODM brigade led by Siaya Governor James Orengo camped in the ward drumming up support for the ODM candidate.
Achieng's election now brings to four the number of MCAs elected on a non-ODM party, which dominates the county.
The MCAs for West Yimbo, North Gem, and East Asembo wards were elected on independent, Federal Party of Kenya (FPK) and United Democratic Movement (UDM) party tickets respectively.
Siaya County has 30 wards.