ODM’s candidate in the Embakasi South constituency by-elections Irshard Sumra has conceded defeat.
ODM's Irshard Sumra concedes defeat to Wiper's Julius Mawathe in a moving speech [Video]
Sumra admitted that Mawathe won the contest fair and square
ODM's Irshard Sumra concedes defeat to Wiper's Julius Mawathe in moving speech
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In a press address on Friday night even before the results were announced, a calm Sumra divulged that he had his figures which clearly indicated that Wiper Party’s Julius Mawathe had won the contest.
“I am a senior politician and before the results go out in the morning, I have my figures. I would like to congratulate my brother Honorable Julius Mwathe. He has won. This is fair and square. He planned well…elections ni kujipanga.” Sumra said.
Sumra vowed to work closely with Mawathe and support him in making life better for his constituents.
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He also extended congratulatory message to Wiper Party led by Kalonzo Musyoka after a closely fought contest that saw NASA parties ODM and Wiper go after each other.
Below is the video.
At the time of the concession speech delivered at 12am, Mawathe was leading with 4,450 votes while Sumra had garnered 1,901 votes according to IEBC results.
The exercise was marked with low voter turnout in a constituency that has a total 150,314 registered voters.
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ODM party leader Raila Odinga campaigning for Irshad Sumra at a campaign rally in Mukuru Kwa Njenga
Pulse Live Kenya
The seat attracted 15 contestants with Opposition leader Raila Odinga campaigning for Sumra while his Wiper counterpart Kalonzo Musyoka backed Mawathe.
Wiper party leader Kalonzo musyoka hands over nomination ticket to Julius Mawathe for the Embakasi South national assembly seat (Twitter)
Pulse Live Kenya
Jubilee Party declared that it would not field a candidate in the by-elections in support of the handshake deal, a decision which did not go well with some members.
Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria led a faction of Jubilee party leaders in drumming up support for Wiper party candidate.
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ODM party leaders led by Secretary General Edwin Sifuna and Ruaraka MP TJ Kajwang’ however alleged that there was voter bribery and that most presiding officers were Mawathe’s supporters.
Sifuna and Kajwang’ also claimed security officers were partisan. “We showed police a person issuing bribes but they declined to arrest him, saying they needed direction from the OCPD,” said Sifuna.
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