Big winners, Big losers
By Standard Team
There were big losers; then there were big winners and finally, the big returnees of the Tenth General Election. And President Kibaki's Number Two, Vice-President Moody Awori topped the list of those whose fall reverberated countrywide.
They included at least seven Cabinet ministers (results confirmed by ECK) and scores of other high-flying politicians. They all were key planks of President's Party of National Unity in their regional blocs.
They are Cabinet ministers Mr Musikari Kombo (Local Government), Mr Mutahi Kagwe (Information), Mr Moses Akaranga (Public Service), Mr Paul Sang' (Health), Mr Raphael Tuju (Foreign Affairs), and Mr Joseph Munyao (Livestock), who voters rejected.
Other big Cabinet losers were Dr Mukhisa Kituyi in Kimilili, Mr Mohamed Abdi and Dr Newton Kulundu in Lurambi. Also in the group are former Cabinet minister Mr Nicholas Biwott and Mathira MP Mr Nderitu Gachagua.
Also defeated were three of retired President Moi's sons, Gideon, Jonathan and Raymond in Baringo Central, Eldama Ravine and Rongai.
And there are the big returnees; those who had previously been knocked out of elective politics, but have now received fresh mandate.
Leading the list is the ODM presidential running mate, Mr Musalia Mudavadi, former fiery politician Mr James Orengo and Mr Dalmas Otieno.
And among the big winners was rank outsider Mr Fred Kapondi, who beat Mr John Serut in Mt Elgon and Mr Kabando wa Kabando, who ejected Kagwe, a Kibaki insider.
Funyula voters yet again rejected a Vice-President - as several other high profile leaders trailed their opponents even as results came in - thereby completely changing President Kibaki's political matrix, if he wins.
Awori's more than two-decade-old political career, most of it under the Kanu regime, and only five years under the Narc administration, was ended by debutant Dr Paul Otuoma of ODM (15,940 votes).
Awori garnered 9,599, in the poll in which ODM-Kenya's presidential running mate, Dr Julia Ojiambo, also lost.
Mudavadi is the only other VP to have been shown the door in the 2002 General Election, but was cheerful after trouncing his opponent, Akaranga.
The ODM presidential running mate garnered 33,543 against Akaranga's 2,770.
Former Cabinet Minister John Koech also lost his battle to retain Chepalungu seat to Mr Isaac Ruto of ODM.
Big guns in Central Province are running neck-and-neck, with former Internal Security minister Dr Chris Murungaru facing imminent defeat in Kieni Constituency.
In Mukurweini, Kagwe lost narrowly to rival Mr Kabando wa Kabando. Kagwe garnered 22,065 against Kabando's 23,865.
Another of President Kibaki's key lieutenants in Mount Kenya region - Environment Minister David Mwiraria - is second in North Imenti as vote counting is still on. It was, however, too early to predict the outcome.
In Imenti South, Energy Minister Kiraitu Murungi has taken a comfortable lead with 6,882 votes against his closest challenger Mr Elphas Riungu of Sisi kwa Sisi, who had 2,242 votes in 27 polling stations.
In Gachoka, PNU's Mutava Musyimi had taken an early lead ahead of ODM Pentagon member Mr Joseph Nyagah in the four polling stations tallied.
The storm that ripped through the Kibaki Cabinet also blew away Sang', who has only been in office for about two months. He was appointed to replace Ngilu, who was fired after she defected to ODM.
Sang' lost the Bureti seat to one time State House Comptroller and former Nominated MP, Mr Franklin Bett, who scored 42,687 against Sang's 7,819.
Tuju, the outgoing Rarieda MP, did not survive the ODM wave. He fell to Mr Nicholas Gumbo, with only 7,759 against the winner's 31,793.
Regional minister Abdi lost to Mohammed Emil, while Kituyi lost to Dr Simiyu Eseli in Kimilili.
Kombo, on the other hand, lost to Mr Alfred Sambu in the hotly contested battle for the Webuye seat.
Agriculture Minister Kipruto Kirwa was on the verge of losing the Cherang'any seat to Joseph Kutuny.
Defence Minister Njenga Karume was trailing Stanley Githunguri in most polling stations in Kiambaa constituency.
Early today, the impact of the ODM-Kenya wave in Ukambani was being felt with Munyao falling in the hands of Mr Mutula Kilonzo.
True to the prediction of pollsters, the presidential race between President Kibaki and Mr Raila Odinga lived up to the billing as a cliffhanger. Each one was scoring highly in their strongholds.
Preliminary results showed Raila, the ODM presidential candidate, leading Kibaki in six of eight provinces in results that had been tallied from various polling stations.
ODM-Kenya's Kalonzo Musyoka, who initially was billed to make the battle for the presidency a three-horse race looked virtually out of the contest, scoring poorly nationally, except his lower Eastern backyard.
The earliest results also showed Cabinet ministers Mr Henry Obwocha and Dr Wilfred Machage battling a stiff challenge mounted by ODM debutants.
Others, however, were still locked in a tight race as we went to press, this morning.
Little-known Mr Jackson Kiptanui for the Keiyo South parliamentary seat thrashed former powerman Biwott.
Sports minister and former Starehe MP Maina Kamanda was battling to close the gap with evangelist Margaret Wanjiru after she started with a foot ahead.
Narc's Robert Monda, a veterinary doctor, sent Nyachae packing. ODM's Chris Bichage made little impact.
Evangelist Moses ole Sakuda gave Education minister Prof George Saitoti a fright, taking an early lead in Kajiado North, a seat the one-time VP has occupied for more than two decades.
Like Saitoti, Obwocha was also fighting to keep up with former Nyanza Provincial Medical Officer, Dr James Gesami, who was setting the pace in West Mugirango.
But on a day of big fights, Pentagon's Mrs Charity Ngilu appeared poised to stage the biggest upset by winning back the Kitui Central seat, after setting an unassailable lead.
But while the fight between the ministers and their opponents appeared predictable, that between President Kibaki and Raila was a close shave in Gusiiland.
It also emerged last night that all was not well for the ODM Treasurer Mr James Omingo Magara, who was trailing Ford-People's Mr Manson Nyamweya and Rajid Muyonga of PPK.
Former Cabinet minister Dalmas Otieno beat immediate outgoing MP, Mr Ochillo Ayacko, of Narc.
In Ugenya, Orengo (ODM) made a come-back to big time politics after walloping Steven Mwanga (Kaddu) to recapture the Ugenya seat he lost after he fell out with Raila.
Source: The Standard
K-T, ni kweli Dr. Mukhisa Kituyi kapigwa chini???????????