Agnes Kavindu Muthama has been sworn in as Machakos Senator after winning the senatorial by-election by a landslide on March 19, 2021. Wiper Party Leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Senators Mutula Kilonzo (Makueni) and Enoch Wambua (Kitui) accompanied her for the ceremony at the Senate on Tuesday.
“Today I have been sworn-in by Speaker Kenneth Lusaka at the Senate,” Kavindu said. “I wish to thank the people of Machakos and Wiper Movement for the mandate they have given me and for their steadfast confidence in me.”
Kavindu got a total of 104,352 votes against the Democratic Alliance( UDA) candidate, Urbanus Muthama Ngengele who managed to garnered 19,723. The total valid votes casted were 130,617 out of the 623,536 registered voters in Machakos County split across the 1335 polling stations. The turnout remained at 21%
The by-election was defined by low vote turnout. The poll stations and officials remained idle with most polling stations reporting a turnout of less than 15%.
The by-election attracted 11 candidates including three independent ones. Mutua Katuku got 1,476 votes, Francis Munyambu got 1,461 votes, Simeon Kitheka got 448 votes, Lily Mwanzia 927 votes, John Musingi 687 votes, Nthenge Otto 159 votes, Jonathan Waweu got 155 votes, Sebastian Nthama 131 votes and Stanley Muindi got 95 votes.
Kavindu’s win has cemented Kalonzo’s political influence in the Ukambani region against perceived competition from the United Democratic Alliance (UDA). The Machakos Senator seat fell vacant following the death of Senator Boniface Kabaka in December last year.
