Meru Woman Representative Kawira Mwangaza floored political titans’ governor Kiraitu Murungi and senator Mithika Linturi to win the gubernatorial seat in one of the biggest shock electoral upsets in the country.
Mwangaza was initially viewed as a distant third by the majority of people. However, she came out on top with overwhelming support and won the contest.
Mwangaza, who contested as an Independent, received a total of 209148 votes against Mithika Linturi, UDA’s closest competitor, who polled 183 859 votes and Kiraitu Muungi, of the Mbus party, who trailed with 110 814 votes.
During the campaigns, Mwangaza’s competitors especially Governor Kiraitu perceived her as a non-starter who had no agenda and ability to lead the county.
She however led in six out of nine sub counties defeating Kiraitu Murungi in his own home turf where she garnered 31,921 votes against Murungi’s 22,359 votes.
Meru School tallying centre hall was yesterday packed to capacity by Mwangaza’s supporters celebrating her victory even before the official results were declared by IEBC.
The hall broke into chants and ululations after the county returning officer Mr William Ndung’u declared Mwangaza as the Governor-elect with a section of the crowd reciting songs.
Mwangaza spoke after she received her certificate and promised to lead Meru to prosperity. She would ensure sustainable development and unite all elected leaders to make Meru the best in the country.
She was accompanied by her running mate Reverend Isaac M’Ethinkia and her husband Murega Baicu.
Present during the announcement was Tigania MP-elect Mpuru Aburi of NOPEO who is a close ally of Peter Munya and who supported Mwangaza and was a critic of Kiraitu’s leadership.
Mwangaza made her first stab at politics in 2012 when she vied as Buuri MP but lost to Boniface Gatobu.
She ran for the Woman representative seat in 2017 and was defeated by Ms Florence Kajuju.
Before the introduction of Women representative seats, the last time a woman was elected to leadership was 1975, when Ms Annrita Karimi won South Imenti’s parliamentary seat.
She lost her parliamentary seat in 1978 after she was charged in court for misuse of school funds in her previous job as principal and jailed for 18 months in what residents believe was a plot orchestrated by Kabeere M’Bijiwe, a development that scared away Meru women from elective politics.
Kathuri Murungi (UDA), the outgoing Imenti South MP, was elected senator-elect. He received 340,442 votes to Mithika James (Jubilee), who had 39,716 votes.
Ms Elzabeth Kalemia (UDA), polled 259 445 votes to become the new Woman representative, with Felicity Nkirote Biriri, her closest competitor (DEP), garnering 164 238 votes.
The three leaders promised to work together for the sake of the county’s progress.
By Dickson Mwiti
Source: kenyanews
