Susan Kihika floors Lee Kinyanjui in Nakuru gubernatorial race
Nakuru governor-elect Susan Kihika delivers her acceptance speech after she was declared the winner of Nakuru on August 12, 2022.
Nakuru Governor Lee Kinyanjui President Uhuru has lost his re-election bid.
In the results announced by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) on Friday afternoon, Mr Kinyanjui, who vied on a Jubilee Party ticket, lost his seat to outspoken Nakuru Senator Susan Kihika of Deputy President William Ruto's United Democratic Alliance.
According to the Nakuru County Returning Officer Joseph Melly Ms Kihika garnered 440,707 votes while Governor Lee Kinyanjui managed 225,623 votes.
"I declare Susan Kihika as the duly elected governor of Nakuru after she garnered 440,707 votes against her closest competitor Lee Kinyanjui who got 225,623," stated Mr Melly.
Ms Kihika, daughter of the late Nakuru MP Dickson Kihika Kimani, ended Governor Lee Kinyanjui’s dreams of getting a second term in the cosmopolitan county.
Four other contestants got less than 100,000 votes in the August 9 polls.
The four, who also were seeking to unseat Mr Kinyanjui, are Dr Stanley Karanja, Elijah Chege, former senator James Mungai and Munyua Waiyaki.
Mr Kinyanjui is one of President Uhuru Kenyatta and Azimio La Umoja One Kenya presidential candidate Raila Odinga’s allies in Nakuru County.
He was a key pillar of Mr Odonga Raila's presidential campaigns in the Rift Valley and Mount Kenya regions.
Ms Kihika now makes the number of elected women leaders in Nakuru seven.
Other women who triumphed against the male-dominated field include; Tabitha Keroche (Senator), MPs Charity Kathambi (Njoro), Irene Njoki (Bahati), Jayne Kihara (Naivasha) and Martha Wangari (Gilgil).
Ms Kihika led in Bahati (44,004), Njoro (39,230), Subukia (29,111), Molo (28,267), Kuresoi South (46,503), Kuresoi North (39,878), Naivasha(57607), Njoro(36230), Gilgil(39303), Rongai (41,684) and Nakuru Town East(38061).
Mr Kinyanjui polled 18,066 votes in Bahati, Njoro (22,996), Naivasha (37924), Subukia (8,151), Molo (18,605), Njoro (22996), Gilgil (19646), Kuresoi South (2,666), Rongai (13618), Nakuru East (35432) and Kuresoi North (7,760).
Ms Kihika led in nine out of 11 of constituencies, whereas Kinyanjui led in Nakuru West where he got 34,923 votes, according to the results released by IEBC.
Ms Tabitha Keroche Karanja (UDA) was also declared the Nakuru senator-elect after she garnered 442,864 votes against her closest competitor lawyer Lawrence Karanja (Jubilee Party) who managed 163,625votes.
Nakuru Woman Representative Liza Chelule retained her seat after garnering 382,143 votes. Her closest competitor Agnes Njambi (Jubilee) got 194,610 votes.
