Written by David Indeje 2011-08-19 09:06:00 Read 1545 Times

After 8 months of having no representative in the tenth parliament, finally Kamukunji constituency has an elected member of parliament through Yusuf Hassan of the Party of National Unity.

Hassan garnered 19,030 votes against 15,476 polled by his bitter rival Ahmed Ibrahim of the Orange Democratic Movement in Thursday’s by-election.

Narc Kenya’s Brian Weke came third with 4,064 votes, while Agano Party candidate David Waihiga managed 367 votes.

There were 40,454 ballots cast in the by-election out of which 39,743 were valid. Seven hundred and eight votes were rejected and three votes disputed.

Hassan was declared winner by Interim Independent Electoral Commission (IIEC) Returning Officer Joseph Masindet who announced the results at the YMCA Hall in Shauri Moyo.

Despite the pollm being characterised by allegations of voter bribery and intimidation earlier in the day, the IIEC chief Ahmed Issack said the mini poll was free and fair.

“We have had a peaceful election.  It has taken us the shortest time to count, tally and announce the winner,” he said.

ODM conceded defeat in what Housing assistant minister Bishop Margaret Wanjiru was a free and fair poll.

"I can tell you that in these elections, I went from station to station and these elections were free and fair," the Starehe MP said.

Now, Hassan as the representative of his people, he has to fulfill the desires and aspirations they have have yearned for: land grabbing, frequent evictions, unemployment for the youth, poor housing and sewerage system, insecurity, extrajudicial killings, public participation in devolved funds and project prioritisation of public funds, poor state of roads, and high cost of living.

The polls had attracted Ms Catherine Muthoni (GNU), Mr James Matagaro (Kenya Social Congress), Mr David Waihiga (Agano) and Mr Daniel Omao (Ford People), Brian Weke (Narc Kenya).

The Kamukunji seat became vacant January 27 this year after a court nullified Mr Simon Mbugua’s election due to irregularities during the 2007 General Election.

Lady Justice Mary Ang 'awa had said the election had been compromised and the Returning Officer presiding over the election made an error in announcing incomplete results.

In making the ruling, the judge said the results lacked integrity and the MP was therefore not validly elected.

The election petition had been filed by Ibrahim Ahmed who contested the seat on an Orange Democratic Party (ODM) in the 2007 General Elections.

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