Susan Kihika beats Lee Kinyanjui to win Nakuru Governor seat

Kihika, who was contesting under a UDA ticket, edged her closest competitor and incumbent Governor Lee Kinyanjui who managed to get 225,623 votes.

He contested under a Jubilee party ticket.

Accompanied by her Deputy David Kones, she was awarded her clearance certificate by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) County Returning Officer amid vibrant cheers.

She becomes the first woman to be elected in the Nakuru top seat and the third governor to lead the county after Lee Kinyanjui and Kinuthia Mbugua.

Kihika appreciated all the stakeholders in the electoral process and her supporters for electing her to the county’s top seat position promising to unite all the people across the political divide.

"Those who voted for me and those who did not, I want to promise you that I will work for all of you and very hard to make Nakuru prosper and bring up our economy," she said.

She highlighted IEBC’s conduct in the polls lauding the commission for holding credible elections, and the county's leadership for ensuring peace and security throughout the electioneering period.

“I thank the IEBC, this election has been conducted in a professional manner by the IEBC. I am a testimony that going against a sitting Governor perhaps being elected on a Jubilee ticket considered opposition, I have been given a fair opportunity to run my campaigns and my people to elect me without any interference," said Kihika.

She similarly thanked area residents for voting in women leaders in the top leadership positions of Governor, Senate and Woman Representative posts respectively.

“Thank the people of Nakuru for being progressive and electing three women to the leadership of this county.  Thank you for electing Tabitha Karanja as the Senator, we shall support her …thank you for also electing Chelule as Woman Rep,” she stated.