Former Cabinet Minister Ochilo Ayacko Wins Migori Senate By-election

Ochilo Ayacko had been elected as the new Migori County Senator following a by-election held on Monday.

Ayacko, a former Cabinet minister, was declared the winner by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) after beating five other candidates in an election marred by low voter turnout.

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) candidate garnered 85,234 votes (57.7percent) against his closest competitor Eddy Oketch of Federal Party of Kenya (FPK) who got 60,555 (40.99 percent).

Only 38.02 percent of the 388,633 total registered voters in the County cast their ballots. 511 votes were rejected.

Ayacko won in seven of the eight constituencies in Migori namely; Rongo, Suna West, Suna East, Nyatike, Kuria West, Awendo and Kuria East. Oketch trounced Ayacko in Uriri constituency, the backyard of embattled Migori Governor Okoth Obado.

The other candidates in the race included Peter Jobando (Green Congress Party), Solomon Hodo Rugaria (People’s Democratic Party), Samwel Otieno and Dickson Ogolla, both independent.