ODM candidate Pavel Oimeke wins Bonchari MP seat – KBC

ODM candidate Pavel Oimeke has been declared the new Bonchari MP-elect.

Independent and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) announced his win in the wee hours of Wednesday morning.

Oimeke, the former Energy Petroleum Regulatory Authority director, garnered 8,049 votes to emerge victorious.

Jubilee Party’s Zebedeo Opore got 7,279 votes to take the second position while UDA’s Teresa Bitutu took position three with 6,964 votes.

Omieke’s win however did not come easy as during the poll he accused the police of intimidating his supporters as well as arresting one of his agents at Nyamare Polling Station.

Bitutu at the same time also decried police intimidation citing arrests in her camp.

The mini poll was generally marred by some isolated incidences of malpractice and voter bribery but this as the Nyanza Regional Police Commander Karanja Muiruri said was laid to rest after some suspects were arrested.

The Regional Commander on police intimidation said that the heavy presence was to maintain and protect all parties alike.

“We were deployed to promote peace, we do not have any hard feelings towards anyone, we are neutral and don’t discriminate against any Kenyan,” he said on Tuesday.

The ODM Premier Raila Odinga through his Twitter handle was reacting to both the Bonchari and the Juja by election when he termed the heavy police presence as an abuse of power and an arrogant display of impunity by a few overzealous and bellicose government functionaries.

In addition, Odinga said “an election process is an opportunity for the voters to express their will at the ballot and not an avenue to pursue IMAGINARY and SHORT-LEGGED political interests. Security forces exist to serve the people and not the interests of those out to conduct political experiments. The peaceful co-existence post-2018 must NOT be taken for granted by some rogue elements wanting to confuse the HANDSHAKE for an excuse to ERODE our hard-earned liberties! This must STOP!”

Omieke now becomes the first ODM MP since 2018 in the nine Kisii constituencies which is a big win for the party in the region.

By Beth Nyaga