Wamuthende celebrates despite IEBC not announcing final Mbeere North results
UDA’s Mbeere North by-election candidate, Leo Wamuthende, on the night of Thursday, November 27, 2025, led early celebrations in the constituency despite the IEBC not having announced the final official results.
Wamuthende toured key towns in the sub-county together with his supporters, singing and chanting as the jubilant supporters carried him on their shoulders.
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He was joined by Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire, who led the team in singing gospel songs and in prayers as they urged more members of the community to join them.
By the time of this reporting, Wamuthende, who appears on the ballot as Leo Wa Muthende Njeru, had garnered 4,285 votes, while Democratic Party (DP) candidate and singer Newton Karish, listed on the ballot as Newton Kariuki Ndwiga, had 4,155 votes.
The tally reflected total valid votes from the stations that had already submitted their figures, placing Wamuthende slightly ahead with a margin of 130 votes.
The competitive back-and-forth had earlier seen Karish take an initial lead with 2,800 votes, followed closely by Wamuthende with 2,763 votes, before the later tallies narrowed and shifted the race.
As the IEBC continued tallying, tension remained high, with residents refreshing updates and gathering outside stations to monitor the progress of what has become one of the most closely watched by-elections in the Mt Kenya region.
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The contest has attracted national attention, largely because it has unfolded against the backdrop of a public political rivalry between Deputy President Kithure Kindiki and his predecessor, Rigathi Gachagua.
They have been campaigning in the area while hurling jabs at each other over who truly is the Mt Kenya kingpin.
Other by-election winners
The Mbeere North seat remains among the few major races yet to be declared, but in other regions, the IEBC has already concluded tallying and confirmed winners.
In Kajiado County, the Commission declared UDA’s Mpusia Amos the winner of the Purko Ward by-election after he secured 2,085 votes, beating Democracy for Citizens Party’s Simon Sanare Saidimu, who garnered 1,522 votes, while ODM’s Daniel Naikuni received 298 votes.
In Nandi County, the IEBC also confirmed that UDA’s Vincent Kiplimo Ruto had won the Chemundu/Kapng’etuny Ward seat with 2,999 votes, defeating KANU candidate Julius Korir Letting, who came second with 475 votes.
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Steve Ireri
Steve is a senior writer with over four years of experience in digital journalism. His focus is on the showbiz and human interest stories. Emails: [email protected] , [email protected]
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