Is Kenya African National Union (KANU) dead?. The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) official results indicate that KANU Chairman, Gideon Moi and his Secretary General could not survive the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) wave.
However, the UDA wave that swept across the Rift Valley, spared a handful of KANU legislators who resisted the tremors to either defend their seats or make a comeback.
Kenyans.co.ke looks at these elected KANU 'orphans' who won seats in the August polls
Naisula Lesuuda- Samburu West MP-elect
Naisula Lesuuda joined active politics when she backed President Uhuru Kenyatta's campaign team in 2013.
Her engagement propelled her to be nominated to TNA party to represent Samburu County in the Senate becoming the youngest female lawmaker in the Senate.
In the 2017 general election, Lesuuda was elected the first female MP for Samburu West Constituency on a Jubilee ticket.
However, in 2022, she vied on a KANU ticket where he won the parliamentary seat by garnering 15,855 votes, beating Eli Loldepe who garnered 7,004 votes as an independent candidate. Raphael Lenayara of UDA received 3,672 votes.
William Kamket- Tiaty Constituency MP-elect
William Kamket of the KANU party became the first candidate to give Azimio its first win by defying the 'yellow fever' and retaining his Tiaty parliamentary seat in a hotly contested race. Kamket, is an outspoken leader and close ally of KANU chairman Gideon Moi.
He first joined active politics when he vied for Member of Parliament for Baringo East seat on an ODM ticket in 2007 but lost.
After failing to win in the 2007 general election, Kamket returned to try his luck in the Tiaty parliamentary race in 2013. Once again, William Kamket’s plans failed but successfully convinced MCAs to elect him as speaker. In 2017, he was elected MP.
Kamket defied the UDA wave in the region by garnering 17,933 votes, trouncing his closest political rival and predecessor Asman Kamama of Kenya Union Party, who got 13,037.
Julius Ole Sunkuli-Kilgoris Constituency MP-elect
Julius Sunkuli joined politics when he was first elected to represent Kiligoris Constituency in 1997. He also worked as the Internal Security minister in the late President Daniel Moi's administration.
He made a comeback after 20 years in the cold. He previously represented the Kilgoris constituency in the National Assembly from 1997 to 2002.
Sunkuli who vied on a KANU ticket was declared the winner of Kilgoris parliamentary seat after garnering 20,293 votes.
His closest competitor John Ololtua of UDA garnered 16,713 votes while Jubilee's Shadrack Sabaya got 12,957 to finish third. Independent candidate Joel Tasur settled for fourth position with 1,889 votes.
Wario Guye Adhe -North Horr MP-elect
Wario Guye Ade of KANU party was officially announced as North Horr MP-elect after garnering 14, 750 votes defeating his closest competitor Molu Ibrae of the Wiper Party who managed 8,890 votes, and Sabdiyo Dido Mamo of Jubilee Party. The Constituency was previously represented by Hon Chachu Ganya.
The fate of Gideon Moi
The fate of KANU chairman Gideon Moi now hangs in the balance after his party was elbowed. Moi, an Azimio principal, lost his Baringo senatorial seat to William Cheptumo.
Cheptumo garnered 141,777 votes, while the outgoing Senator polled 71,408 votes.
The country's independence party also suffered a huge blow after its Secretary General, Nick Salat lost bid for Bomet East parliamentary seat.
Salat could only manage 13,425 votes falling behind Richard Yegon who was declared senator-elect, with 35,431.
