The Orange Democratic Movement and the Jubilee Alliance Party on Monday emerged winners in the Malindi and Kericho by-elections respectively.
In Malindi, ODM's Willy Mtengo garnered 15,582 votes to easily trounce Jubilee’s Philip Charo who got a total 9,243 votes.
In Kericho, Jubilee’s Aaron Cheruiyot registered an impressive win of 109,358 votes, beating his closest competitor, Kanu’s Paul Sang who managed to gather 56,307 votes.
Other contestants in the Malindi by-election garnered votes as follows:
Labour Party of Kenya’s Attas Shariff Ali was third with 1,547 votes followed by Kadu-Asili’s Reuben Katana (353), Social Party of Kenya’s David Kithunga (68), Nelson Gunga Benjamin of Federal Party of Kenya (35) and Chama Cha Uzalendo Peter Ponda's 26 votes.
In Kericho other contenders scored as follows:
National Vision Party’s Daniel Tanui came a far third with 722 votes, Maendeleo Democratic Party’s Wycliffe Ngenoh (497), United Democratic Movement’s Paul Sigei (473), while New Democrats David Mutai came last with (427).
Political pundits had billed the Kericho mini-poll as a litmus test for Deputy President William Ruto to proove that he still had control over the Kalenjin vote.
A win by Jubilee's Cheruiyot, came as a huge reprieve for DP Ruto, who seemingly weathered a political storm waged upon him by KANU heavyweights Gideon Moi, Nick Salat, URP defectors Isaac Ruto (Bomet Governor), Alfred Keter (Nandi MP) and Oscar Sudi (Kapseret MP).
Ruto had come under fierce opposition in his political backyard, with political rivals accusing him of reneging on development pledges he made in the run-up to the 2013 General Election and biased top government job appointments.
29-year-old businessman Cheruiyot, won in all five constituencies in Kericho County, apart from Buret which is Mr Sang's backyard.
Opposition leader Raila Odinga’s ODM party retained the Malindi parliamentary seat amid a fiercely-fought contest, that was marred by alleged bribery claims and abetting electoral malpractices.
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Dramatic scenes were witnessed during the polling in Malindi, with tallying happening under tight security by officer from the General Service Unit, Administration and Regular Police.
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The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), however, decried low voter turn-out in the by-elections.
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