Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) candidate Ruben Katana has been declared the winner of Ganda Ward by-election in Malindi, Kilifi County.
Katana garnered 4,177 votes to beat Independent candidate Abdul Omar, who had 2,331 votes and Jubilee’s Joseph Kiponda who had 589 votes.
Another candidate from the Kadu Asili Party David Mitsanze had 362 votes. The ward has 12 polling centres, 30 polling stations and 16,632 voters.
Go and serve your people
The seat fell vacant after the High Court nullified the election of Mr Abdulrahman Mohamed Omar owing to irregularities and illegalities that marred the August 7, 2017 election.
A tweet from the ODM Party reads;
“Congratulations Reuben Mwamure Katana and Mohamed Sheikh Ali for your victories in Ganda Ward in Malindi Constituency and Abakaile Ward in Daadab Constituency respectively. We are proud of you. Now go and serve your people”
The Ganda ward seat had been hotly contested as Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa tried to drum support for the Jubilee Candidate, to an extent of getting arrest after brother to ODM contestant was shot dead, during a confrontation.
The incident led to the arrest of Jumwa and her aide Geoffrey Okuto Otieno as suspects in the murder. She was later released 0n Sh1 million bond.
Mutonguni Ward by-election
In another By-election in Mutonguni Ward, Kitui County Musee Mati of Maendeleo Chap Chap took the seat after garnering 2,892 votes beating Stephen Kithuka (Wiper) who got 2,147 votes. Third place was Independent candidate Jace Kavale with 853 votes, followed by Alex Nzau of Jubilee with 815 votes.