ODM party leader Raila Odinga on Sunday expressed his gratitude to Kibra residents for overwhelming voting for Imran Okoth and taking the shame away from him.
The African Union Special Envoy for Infrastructure was speaking when the party held a thanksgiving rally at DC Grounds in Kibra after its candidate Okoth secured a convincing victory in the hotly contested by-Election held on Thursday, November 7.
“I was watching closely how you were voting. Some of my friends were a bit worried, but I told them not to be. Our people cannot betray us,” Raila said.
“I knew you would do as you had promised. Thank you a lot for taking the shame away from me,” he added amid cheers from the crowd.
Okoth won with 24,636 votes while Jubilee’s candidate McDonald Mariga came in second with 11,230 votes and Eliud Owalo of ANC third with 5,275 votes.
The total votes cast was 41, 984 against a registered number 118, 658 votes representing a 35.38% voter turnout.
The fiercely contested race was billed as a battle between the ODM leader and Deputy President William Ruto, who led campaigns for Mariga.
Ruto is said to have picked on Mariga with an intention to divide the Luhya vote in an exercise that was characterized by scenes of electoral violence, voter buying and voter bribery.
The DP said ODM won the election because Raila deployed militia like youth to cause chaos and disrupt the voting.
“The only strategy and structure Tinga’s party had which largely succeeded was, violence, chaos, mayhem & terror meted out by organized baba’s militia the same instruments used by terrorists organizations including outlawed groups,” Ruto posted on Twitter.
The ONLY strategy and structure Tinga’s party had which largely succeeded was,violence, chaos,mayhem & terror meted out by organized baba’s militia the same instruments used by terrorists organizations including outlawed groups. How sad they have learnt nothing from handshake! pic.twitter.com/5jQ1vhQpf1
— William Samoei Ruto, PhD (@WilliamsRuto) November 9, 2019
“How sad they have learnt nothing from handshake!” He added.
However, during the thanksgiving rally, the former Prime Minister said the outcome of the by election reflected what is contained in the Building Bridges Initiative report which is purposely meant to unite the country.
The BBI taskforce was formed following a Handshake between Uhuru and Raila on March 9 2018.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, Directorate of Criminal Investigations and Director of Public Prosecution issued a statement stating that they would review the events of the day and hold perpetrators to account.
Raila thanks Kibra voters for not embarrassing him pic.twitter.com/DKzz1g3zgT
— Daily Nation (@dailynation) November 11, 2019