Editor's Review

The by-election was fashioned as a test run for 2022 elections with political parties using it to assess the ground.

Deputy President William Ruto's United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party has won Meru County's Kiagu Ward by-election.

The UDA candidate Simon Kiambi Ngaruni garnered 2440 votes (35 percent).

Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria's CCK party staged an impressive fight and emerged second with its candidate Milton Mwenda scooping 1823 (26 percent) votes.

Jubilee party candidate Samson Kinyua Magambo was third with 1609 (23 percent) votes.

UDA's Kiambi was endorsed by DP Ruto for the seat and his Tanga Tanga allies played a big role in campaigning for him.

Agriculture CS Peter Munya on the other handled the Jubilee brigade in campaigning for Kinyua.

MP Kuria, who has been unable to participate in the campaign because of sickness, expressed his gratitude to Kiagu residents for supporting his candidate despite having formed the party a few months ago.

"From the bottom of my heart, I take this opportunity to thank the people of Kiagu Ward in Meru County.

"Despite our candidate Milton Mwenda Kabobo losing to UDA with a paltry 200 votes, you have sent a strong message that the future of Meru, Mt Kenya and Kenya is Chama Cha Kazi," he wrote on Facebook.

The by-election was fashioned as a test run for 2022 elections with political parties using it to assess the ground.

Other candidates included Muthama Haron Kaburu of Maendeleo Chap Chap (511 votes), Marete Richard Mwangi (392 votes), Douglas Bundi (72 votes), Patrick Kananda (57 votes), Kinyua Joshua (54 votes), Mwendwa Scolastica (30 votes) and Joseph Mwangi (21 Votes)

The turnout was 64.36 percent of the registered voters in the ward.

The by-election follows the death of former officeholder Eunice Karegi who succumbed to cancer on May 27.

She was elected on Maendeleo Chap Chap.