Bad start for Chama Cha Mashinani as top leaders are voted out

Outgoing Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto receiving John Moriaso (centre) when he defected from Jubilee to CCM at Ololunga in Narok South constituency early this year. [File, Standard]

Chama Cha Mashinani (CCM) party is facing a challenging start to the second term of devolution after most of its candidates were voted out.

Party leader and outgoing governor Isaac Ruto lost to Jubilee Party's Joyce Laboso, who got 176,545 votes against the his 86,452.

Mr Ruto, who was confident of retaining his seat during the campaigns, had joined the National Super Alliance (NASA) as the fifth co-principal, promising to deliver a million votes to the Opposition from the Rift Valley.

But he failed to deliver even in his own county, as NASA presidential candidate Raila Odinga got 32,002 votes (12 per cent) against President Uhuru Kenyatta's 229,581 votes (87 per cent).

Deputy party leader and Narok governor aspirant Patrick ole Ntutu lost the battle to Samuel Tunai of Jubilee Party who got 146,660 votes. Mr Ntutu, who is the outgoing Narok West MP, garnered 93,628 votes, while ODM's Joseph Tiampati came in third with 40,167 votes.

Deputy governor

In Isiolo, CCM chairman Mohamed Gulleid, who is also the outgoing deputy governor, vied for the governorship alongside his boss Godana Doyo who vied under the Party of Development and Reforms.

The two lost to Mohamed Kuti, an independent candidate.

Mr Gulleid came a distant fifth with less than 1,000 votes while the front runner, Mr Kuti, garnered 22,669 votes.

The party also failed to clinch the Narok County woman representative seat after Lydia Masikonte lost the battle to the incumbent, Soipan Tuya, who vied on a Jubilee ticket.

Ms Masikonte, a daughter of veteran politician William ole Ntimama, garnered 44,252 votes against Ms Tuya's 122,907 votes.

The CCM governor candidate for Nakuru, Peter Koros, a former Finance Executive for Bomet, also lost to Jubilee's Lee Kinyanjui.

The party was however able to bag two parliamentary seats. Gabriel Tongoyo is the MP-elect for Narok West while Gideon Koske won the Chepalungu seat.

The party also clinched three MCA seats in Bomet and six in Narok. [Kennedy Gachuhi]