Embu County gets three new youthful MPs
Mr John Gitonga Mukunji, the MP-elect for Manyatta constituency in Embu County makes his acceptance speech at the Kangaru School tallying center on August 11, 2022 after being declared.
Three constituencies out of four in Embu County will have new MPs, with only one legislator from the 12th Parliament making it back to the national Assembly. Additionally, the county will be represented by youthful politicians in all but one constituency.
Manyatta Constituency will be represented by businessman Gitonga Mukunji who won the seat on a UDA ticket after beating four other contestants by a huge margin. Mr Mukunji garnered 58,408votes against his closest rival, Morris Nyaga ‘Collo’, who got 6,625 votes.
The 35-year-old Mukunji made his first attempt at elective politics in 2017 when he vied on Maendeleo Chap Chap ticket but emerged third.
“In 2017, I came in to the race late and also, I wasn’t able to traverse the whole constituency. This time, I spoke to the people of Manyatta and [about] their interests and they rewarded me with their votes,” the chemical engineering graduate told Nation.
He said that he aspires to rise to national politics in the future but his priority right now is in Manyatta.
In Mbeere North, Geoffrey Kiringa Ruku of DP turned the tables to beat two-time MP Charles Muriuki Njagagua who had vied on a UDA ticket. The youthful Ruku also won on his second attempt after his first shot at wrestling the seat from Mr Njagagua in 2017 failed.
Only elderly MP
Mr Nebert Benard Muriuki is the only elderly MP from the county. He chose to fight for the seat as an independent candidate after losing the UDA nomination to Genesio Mugo who emerged second in the results announced Thursday.
Mr Muriuki was also on the ballot in 2017 but lost to Mr Geoffrey King’ang’i.
Runyenjes MP Eric Muchangi Karemba will be the most senior legislator from the county, having defended his seat on a UDA ticket. He easily won as he shrugged off his four rivals for a second term in parliament. Although the official results had not been announced by the time of going to press, provisional results showed an unassailable lead of close to 50,000 votes. The MP is the only elected legislator of the Akorino faith.
Mr John Muchiri is the outgoing MP for Manyatta which he has represented for two terms. He was not on the ballot this year as he opted to go for the gubernatorial seat but lost at the UDA nominations to Ms Cecily Mbarire.
Embu is also poised to have new leaders at the county level.
The governorship race is a tight one, between Ms Mbarire and former senator Lenny Kivuti. The current governor Martin Wambora has served the maximum two terms.
Mr Wambora ran for the Senate seat but by Thursday night, he was trailing in the crowded race. The leading candidate for senate is Alexander Munyi Mundigi of DP. Like the new MPs, Mr Mundigi was Thursday night poised to win the seat on his second stab.
