The Migori Senate by-election was marked by a low voter turnout with only 38.02 percent of the 388,633 registered voters casting their votes on Monday October 8.
The county has eight constituencies; Uriri, Rongo, Suna West, Suna East, Nyatike, Kuria West, Awendo and Kuria East.
In the race that saw five candidates battling out for the seat left vacant by the demise of former senator Ben Oluoch Okello, it turned to be a two-horse race.
Stiff competition was witnessed between ODM Party candidate Ochilo Ayacko and Federal party of Kenya candidate Eddy Oketch Gicheru.
However Ayacko emerged the winner by garnering 85,234 votes against Oketch’s 60,555 votes.
Ayacko has been vigorously campaigned for by the ODM brigade led by Party leader Raila Odinga and deputy party leader Mombasa governor Hassan Ali Joho.
Late Monday’s results from a few polling stations showed Eddy taking an early lead before he was later overtaken by Ayacko.
There was a standoff in the evening at the Migori county tallying centre after ODM supporters engaged in a shouting match with IEBC officials demanding that by-election results be displayed.
Before the chaotic scene, Ayacko was leading followed by Eddy.
Police had to protect county returning officer Ruth Kulundu from angry agents and youths.
Voting closed at 5 pm in the 826 polling stations. The county has about 388,000 registered voters.
Ochilo’s supporters started celebrations at around 9 oclock when results from Kuria region, where they feared they were poised to get fewer votes showed them ahead.
Hooting their motorbikes and vehicles, the supporters thronged Migori, Awendo and Rongo town streets singing praises to Ayacko and ODM leader Raila Odinga.
Among the centres that recorded very low turnout was Rapogi Primary School in Uriri constituency where governor Okoth Obado would have cast his vote.
Attention has now turned to Governor Okoth Obado who is in custody faced with murder charges following the gruesome murder of his girlfriend the Rongo University Student Sharon Otieno.
Obado who has been denied bail several times will be arraigned in Court on Friday October 12.
His case was on Monday merged with his aides’ Michae Oyamo and Caspal Obiero who appeared before high Court Justice Jessie Lessit.
Obado had filed another application on Friday last week to be granted bail citing his health condition after getting admitted at Kenyatta National Hospital last week for a stomachache, only to face a blow by getting charged afresh with two counts of murder.
The trio was remanded till Friday, the day all Kenyans have now turned their attention to know Obado’s fate and find out whether justice will prevail for Sharon Otieno.