Leonard Muthende of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party has won Mbeere North Parliamentary by-election with a slim margin after garnering 15,802 votes against his closest rival Newton Karish of the Democratic Party ((DP) who got 15, 308 votes.
Duncan Mbui of the Chama Cha Kazi (CCK) came a distant third after securing 2,480 votes in a contest that attracted nine candidates.
The official results were announced by the Constituency Returning Officer John Kinyua at 5 am at the temporary Constituency tallying center at St. Bhakita Siakago Girls High School.
The race turned out to be a two-horse race pitying the government against opposition.
Supremacy battle over who is in control of Mt. Kenya East Region played out between Deputy President Kithure Kindiki and his predecessor Rigathi Gachagua, throughout the campaign period.
The two pitched camp in the area the whole of last week to drum up support for their candidates.
Whereas Gachagua has positioned himself as the undisputed Mt. Kenya kingpin, Kindiki maintained that he was the senior most politician from the region with each vowing to teach the other a lesson in the mini poll.
The government pleaded with the voters to support a pro-government candidate to attract development whereas the opposition maintained the area had been neglected for years with empty promises from successive regimes and it was time to break ranks with the ruling government.
The voting exercise was however marred by massive cases of alleged voter bribery and chaotic scenes in some instances with each camp accusing the other of being behind the ills.
It is yet to be seen whether the opposition will accept the results.
by Samuel Waititu
