By Coast Times correspondent
Former Mwatate Member of Parliament Andrew Mwadime braved all odds to win Taita Taveta governor seat in a hotly contested election.
Mwadime clinched the seat having thrown himself in the ring without being sponsored by a political party.
The independent governor-elect garnered 49,901 votes.
He trounced his competitor and outgoing governor Granton Samboja of Jubilee party with a resounding margin of 26,200 votes after Samboja garnered 23,701 votes.
Samboja was elected with a Wiper party ticket in 2017 when he defeated the then governor John Murutu before he moved to the Jubilee party in 2022.
Mwadime has served as member of parliament for Mwatate constituency since 2013.
The council of governors (CoG) will now have two independent governors including Meru governor-elect Kawira Mwangaza who defeated incumbent Kiraitu Murungi.
Former governor John Mruttu of United Democratic Alliance (UDA) finished third with 13,865 votes while Dan Mwazo of WIPER garnered 11,543 votes.
About 13 contestants participated in the governor election including Stephen Mwakesi (PEP), Journalist Patience Nyange (Narc), George Mwandembo (DAP), Prof Agnes Mwang’ombe (ANC), Godino Mwasaru (Independent), Onsemus Mwinzi (Independent), Tom Mwakwida, (ODM), Faustin Mghendi (TSP) and Safina’s Francis Mwaita.
Mwadime said that he is ready to serve Taita Taveta residents by ensuring his administration revamp agriculture in the county.
He noted that fighting hunger is a priority for his administration while promising to bring all leaders together in a bid to reasonably strategize for the region’s development.
Although Taita Taveta, being a county in the Coast region, is considered as one of the ODM strongholds, the just concluded election saw a majority of leaders elected on a WIPER party ticket.
This may be a clear indication that the ODM party command is fading away.
WIPER is seemingly taking over after it scoop three out of four parliamentary seats including Taveta constituency where Bwire Okano emerged the winner as Danson Mwashako clinched Wundanyi constituency seat.
Jones Mlolwa was trounced by WIPER’s Hamisi Chome in Voi constituency.
