Former governors hoping to make comebacks to the political arena vied for various political seats in the concluded general election.
Provisional results show mixed fortunes, with some politicians recapturing the seats with others losing their bids.
Here are some of the former governors and how they faired in the polls:
Ken Lusaka
Key among the pioneer governors of 2013 is outgoing Senate Speaker Kenneth Lusaka who was declared the winner in the Bungoma gubernatorial race.
He was facing, among others, outgoing governor Wycliffe Wangamati of the Democratic Alliance Party of Kenya (DAP-K). Lusaka who was vying on a Ford Kenya party ticket garnered 244,298 votes, beating Wangamati who had dislodged him from the position in 2017.
Jack Ranguma
In Kisumu, the county's first governor, Jack Ranguma lost to incumbent governor Anyang’ Nyong’o in the gubernatorial race.
Ranguma was vying on a Movement for Democracy and Growth (MDG) party seeking to regain the seat he occupied between 2013 and 2017.
Governor Nyong’o, vying on an Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party, received 319,957 votes against Ranguma’s 100,600 in the race to lead the Lake city of Kisumu.
MDG had fielded candidates who were discontented with ODM’s decision to issue direct tickets to their preferred aspirants.
Benjamin Cheboi
Benjamin Cheboi, the first governor of Baringo County, was seeking to become the county’s next governor for another term. Cheboi was vying on a United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party ticket, facing among others- incumbent governor Stanley Kiptis of the Kenya African National Union (KANU).
Kiptis on Thursday, August 11, conceded defeat to Benjamin Cheboi after provisional results. Cheboi was seeking to clinch his former position after losing to Kiptis in 2017.
Isaac Ruto
Chama Cha Mashinani (CCM) party leader Isaac Ruto lost in the Bomet Gubernatorial race. Incumbent governor Hilary Barchok was declared the winner on Thursday, August 11, after receiving 158,798 votes. Isaac Ruto came in second with 137,323 votes failing to recapture the seat he lost in 2017.
Isaac Ruto and Kenya Kwanza presidential candidate William Ruto had buried the hatchet after going in parallel ways in the last general election.
Evans Kidero
In Homa Bay County, former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero lost to ODM’s Gladys Wanga in the race to become the county’s second governor. Kidero was a new entrant in the county’s politics having previously run in Nairobi.
According to results released by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), Gladys Wanga managed 244,059 votes while Kidero who came second in the race got 152,182 votes.
Kidero was Nairobi's first governor before losing the seat to Mike Sonko in 2017. However, Sonko's reign to came to a premature end in 2020 when he was impeached.
His efforts to contest for the Mombasa gubernatorial race were thwarted after the Supreme Court upheld IEBC's decision to permanently disqualify him from holding public office.
Joshua Irungu
In Laikipia County, former Governor Joshua Irungu of the UDA beat incumbent governor and Azimio la Umoja campaign chairman Ndiritu Muriithi to recapture the seat.
Irungu garnered 113,783 votes with Murithi coming at a distant second place with 48,563 votes.
Muriithi who was vying on a Jubilee Party ticket lost in what was an extension of the heavy beating the party got from UDA in the region.
Julius Malombe
Kitui’s first governor Julius Malombe is also on his way back to the position after he was declared the winner on Friday, August 12.
Malombe who was running on a Wiper Democratic Party ticket won with 198,004 votes, beating his closest opponent David Musila of the Jubilee party who got 117, 606 votes.
Malombe will now take over from the outgoing governor Charity Ngilu who bowed out of the race.
Nathif Jama
In Garissa County, pioneer governor Nathif Jama beat the incumbent governor Ali Korane to win back the position he occupied between 2013 and 2017.
Jama of ODM got an endorsement from 69,342 voters while Korane of Jubilee managed 26,148 votes.
