UDA's Lelegwe wins Samburu Senate seat in tight race

Samburu Senator Steve Lelegwe re-elected

Samburu Senator Steve Lelegwe receives his clearance certificate on August 12, 2022 after being declared winner in the August 9, 2022 election.

Photo credit: Geoffrey Ondieki | Nation Media Group

Samburu Senator Steve Lelegwe has retained his seat after garnering 40,066 votes in the August 9, 2022 General Election.

Dr Lelegwe, who was running on a United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party ticket, trounced his main challenger, Lkitonga Lengolos of Jubilee Party, to retain his seat in a tight competition.

In the race, Joseph Lepariyo of the Orange Democratic Movement got 2,111 votes while Joshua Leparachao of Democratic Party of Kenya managed 485 votes.

Speaking after receiving his clearance certificate from the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, Dr Lelegwe thanked the people of Samburu for giving him a second term to represent them in the Senate.

 The former county assembly Speaker also attributed his re-election to the success in his legislation role during his first term in Parliament.

"Thank you people of Samburu for giving me the second term to represent you. I always put Samburu people's interests first," Dr Lelegwe said immediately after he was declared winner.

Lauds IEBC

He also lauded the electoral commission for conducting the elections transparently.

Dr Lelegwe shot to national fame in 2020 when he was dramatically arrested in a move he linked to his position on the 2020 revenue sharing formula.

Senator Lelegwe opposed the government's proposed revenue sharing formula, saying Samburu County would have lost Sh500 million compared to shares received in previous financial years.

He said the sovereign power of the people is exercised through the elected members and barring them from exercising their mandate was burying democracy.