How an MP handed a sitting Governor an embarrassing defeat at the ODM primaries

dennis kibet

April 19, 2017 4:35 PM

The incumbent Governor immediately disputed the results calling for a repeat of the exercise.

Taita Taveta governor John Mruttu explains a point to Cord leader Raila Odinga as Wundanyi MP Thomas Mwadeghu listen on at a past function last year.

In the latest shock of the ongoing Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) primaries, a sitting Governor was handed a humiliating defeating by an MP in his county.

On Wednesday, Taita Taveta Governor John Mruttu lost the ODM nominations to Wundanyi and National Assembly minority whip Thomas Mwadeghu.

Mwadeghu garnered 18,421 votes against Mruttu’s 15,911 votes in the Taita Taveta gubernatorial results.

The incumbent Governor immediately disputed the results calling for a repeat of the exercise in five polling stations including Challa, Jipe and Mahandakini Primary Schools, St. Joseph Kivukoni and Orkung polling stations.

Mruttu said the results were unsatisfactory as the voting process in some two areas started late due to delay in delivery of materials and this may have tilted the results in favour of Mwadeghu.

He said that out of the five polling stations in dispute, only two did the actual voting due to the delay in delivery of the polling materials as well as disruption of the voting process by heavy rains that pounded the area.

In Mwadeghu’s own constituency of Wundanyi, the MP garnered 4,417 against Mruttu’s 3,628.

In Taveta, Mruttu garnered 5,112 votes while Mwadeghu got 1,181 voters.

In Voi, Mruttu garnered 3,950 against Mwadeghu 4,197 votes while in Mwatate, the governor polled 3,221 votes against the MP’s 8,626.

dennis kibet