Waititu clinches Nairobi Governor TNA ticket
Nairobi governor aspirant Ferdinard Waititu votes at New Njiru Primary School during the TNA primaries January 18 , 2013. The former Embakasi MP won the TNA ticket January 19, 2013. JENNIFER MUIRURI
Former Embakasi MP Ferdinand Waititu has won The National Alliance's Nairobi Governor ticket.
Mr Waititu saw off the challenge of Nairobi businessman Jimnah Mbaru in a close contest.
He polled 17,223 votes against Mr Mbaru's 14,029 votes.
Former Nairobi Town Clerk John Gakuo managed 461.
Mr Waititu will now battle it out with the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) candidate Evans Kidero.
However, TNA said the results showing that Mr Waititu had won were not final and urged party supporters to remain patient.
It said an official announcement would be made "soon".
In a contradiction, the party's website where results were posted reflected a Waititu victory but it put out a different message on Twitter.
Dr Kidero got the ODM ticket unopposed after his challengers Bishop Margaret Wanjiru and Philip Kisia dropped out of the race.
The ODM National Elections Board (NEB) disqualified Bishop Wanjiru after the Commission for University Education (CUE) questioned the former Starehe MP's academic credentials.
The law requires that an aspirant for Governor be a degree holder.
Mr Kisia defected to the Federal Party of Kenya.
In the Senate race, former Makadara MP Mike Mbuvi "Sonko" clinched the TNA ticket in a landslide victory while Rachel Shebesh got the women representative ticket.
Mr Mbuvi garnered 25,656 votes with his nearest challenger Lee Mucheru managing 749 votes.
Ms Shebesh polled 23,300 against Rose Anne Wanjiku's 6,088.
