A busy day at the polling stations in Purko Ward ended with Amos Mpusia of the United Democratic Alliance taking the lead and being confirmed as the new MCA-elect, closing a by-election that drew strong public interest and steady participation throughout the day.
The ward went to the polls to fill the vacancy left earlier in the year after the passing of former representative Simon Saitoti, prompting a contest that brought together candidates from three major parties in the county.
The competition featured Mpusia, Simon Sanare Saidimu of the Democracy for the Citizens Party, and Daniel Naikuni of the Orange Democratic Movement. After the vote count was completed, the commission declared Mpusia the winner with 2,805 votes. Sanare followed with 1,522 votes, while Naikuni finished with 298 votes.
Figures released by the commission show that Purko Ward had 4,848 registered voters before the by-election. Out of these, 3,900 came out to cast their votes, giving the ward an turnout of 80.5 percent.
The results show that 53 percent of those who turned up voted for the UDA candidate, 39 percent supported the DCP candidate Sanare, and 7.6 percent voted for ODM’s Naikuni.
Once the final tally was announced, Mpusia welcomed the outcome and thanked those who took part in the election.
"I also thank my competitors for a peaceful campaign, and I also want to thank the UDA leaders, as this win means Purko is still yellow and a Tutam zone," Mpusia said.
"I want to thank everyone, and I promise to work with my opponents to empower the people of Purko ward."
His win quickly drew reactions from leaders in the county, among them former Interior CS Katoo Ole Metito, who described the result as an important moment for Purko Ward.
He said, "Congratulations, Hon. Amos Mpusia, MCA-Elect Purko Ward. This is a big statement for our political future as a county. Thank you, Purko Ward."
The ward, which is part of Kajiado Central Constituency, is one of the five areas that make up Kajiado County.
With the by-election now settled, attention shifts to the incoming MCA as he prepares to take over the seat and begin working with residents, community groups and leaders across the county.
The contest, while competitive, remained peaceful from start to finish, with residents turning up in large numbers and showing strong interest in the choice of their next representative.
