Ford Kenya’s Wafula Wakoli emerged victorious in the just concluded Bungoma Senatorial by-election.
Wakoli won with 66,023 followed by closely by UDA’s Mwambu Mabonga who garnered 45,907 votes while Azimio la Umoja’s Wafula Wamunyinyi came in third with 20,519 votes.
The Bungoma by-elections elicited sibling rivalry between Ford Kenya and its Kenya-Kwanza partner UDA after the parties failed to field one candidate for the race. National Assembly speaker Moses Wetangula backed Wakoli his former aide describing him as the ideal person to replace him after serving the county for 10 years in the Senate.
Wakoli thanked residents for allowing him to replace National assembly speaker Moses Wetang’ula as the senator. Thanking Wetang’ula for supporting his bid, Wakoli said “ Wetang’ula held my hand throughout my political life. I promise to go in and act like him, present issues and represent Bungoma people.”
Present during the awarding of the certificate was Kanduyi MP John Makali, Webuye East lawmaker Martin Wanyonyi, Kwanza MP Ferdinand Wanyonyi, Ambassador Simon Nabukwesi, Bungoma deputy governor Jennifer Mbatiany and Bungoma county assembly Majority leader among other leaders.
The Senate seat became vacant after then Senator Moses Wetangula resigned to clinch the National Assembly Speaker position. Other than the three, the senate race attracted 8 other candidates including Elias Barasa of People’s Empowerment Party, Fredrick Busolo (Vibrant Democracy Party), Aaron Wafula (Republican Liberty Party), Geoffrey Barasa (National Ordinary People Empowerment Union) and Robert Sifuna (Roots Party of Kenya). Enock Opara, Julius Masinde and Radon Munoko similarly vied for the position as independent candidates.
