Kiambu was among the most hotly contested in the Jubilee nominations as Governor William Kabogo fought to retain the seat against an onslaught by MP Ferdinand Waititu.
And after the polls on Tuesday, the Kabete legislator had the last laugh after flooring Kabogo, garnering 353,604 votes against the governor’s 69,916.
Waititu led Kabogo is most of the 551 polling stations in the county that has 1.2 million registered voters.
The incumbent conceded defeat on Tuesday evening, a few hours after counting started when it became apparent that Waititu had taken a commanding lead.
Conceded defeat
Even though he claimed that the process was flawed, Kabogo acknowledged his rival’s victory and went ahead to wish Waititu well in the August 8 General Election.
The governor blamed his loss on powerful individuals in Jubilee, whom he did not name, claiming they wanted to ensure that he does not get a second term.
However, some people say the governor had only himself to blame, having been accused of being arrogant and unwelcoming.
On September 17, 2015, during an event attended by Deputy President William Ruto at Muhoho High School in Gatundu South, Kabogo was quoted as saying that although he did not know who would be the next governor for Kiambu, he knew who would not be, in an apparent reference to Waititu, who had spoken just before him and promised him a big battle.
The remarks seem to have come back to haunt him because now, one-and-a-half years later, Waititu has kept his word, winning the coveted Jubilee ticket and handing Kabogo a humiliating defeat. The MP seems to have been determined to prove Kabogo wrong because he is likely to be next governor due to the popularity of the Jubilee Party in the region.
Kabogo is also accused of having disdain for unmarried women, allegedly saying they should not be allowed to contest elective posts, claiming that they lacked leadership qualities and values.
Exuded confidence
Throughout his campaign, Kabogo exuded confidence that he would beat Waititu. In an interview on a local TV station only a few days to the primaries, Kabogo said he was certain of trouncing his rival.
“I do not belong to the group that loses. I always win. This will be my fifth election and I am confident I will win, just as I have always done,” he said.
The governor echoed this in his concession speech, saying all indications, including several opinion polls, were that he was ahead of his rivals.
A poll released by Infotrak earlier this month indicated that Kabogo would triumph over his main challenger, Waititu, with 48.9 per cent.
