Eight former governors who lost their seats in the 2017 general election have recaptured the positions in this year’s election.
They include Kenneth Lusaka (Bungoma), Benjamin Cheboi (Baringo), Joshua Irungu (Laikipia), Nadhif Jama (Garissa), Simon Kachapin (West Pokot), Issa Timamy (Lamu), Julius Malombe (Kitui) and Ahmed Abdullahi (Wajir).
Ken Lusaka
The immediate former Senate Speaker lost the Bungoma governor seat to incumbent Wycliffe Wangamati in 2017 after garnering 175,929 votes while the latter got 197,422 votes. Lusaka has made a comeback after securing 244,298 against Wangamati who got 140,298 votes.
Joshua Irungu
Irungu has won back the Laikipia gubernatorial seat after securing 114,094 votes, edging out the outgoing governor Nderitu Mureithi, who defeated him in 2017. Nderitu garnered 49,291 votes in the just concluded election.
Benjamin Cheboi
Cheboi, who lost the Baringo governor seat to Stanley Kiptis has made a comeback after trouncing his successor in this year’s election. He garnered 137,486 votes compared to Kiptis’ 17, 646 votes.
Nadhif Jama
In Garissa, Jama regained his seat after getting 69,342 votes to record an overwhelming win over outgoing governor Ali Korane who amassed 26,148 votes.
Simon Kachapin
The UDA candidate Kachapin was declared the winner of the gubernatorial contest after bagging 86,476 votes to unseat incumbent governor Prof. John Lonyangapuo who came in second with 84,610 votes.
Issa Timamy
Vying under the ANC party, Timamy thrashed incumbent Lamu Governor Fahim Twaha after bagging 24,198 votes against the Jubilee candidate’s 16,054 votes.
Julius Malombe
Malombe of Wiper party similarly made a comeback to Kitui politics after getting 198,004 votes to edge out his main rival former Kitui Senator David Musila (Jubilee) who secured 117,606 votes. Incumbent Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu shelved her re-election bid to drum up support for Azimio presidential candidate Raila Odinga.
Ahmed Abdullahi
Abdullahi also regained the Wajir seat in the August 9th elections after losing to Jubilee’s Abdi Mohamud in 2017. He got 35,533 votes to beat Jubilee’s Hassan Mohammed Adan who got 27,224 votes and former Deputy governor Ahmed Ali Mukhtar who amassed 21,859.
