This archive report was first published on 8 November 2019.
On November 7, 2019, McDonald Mariga, the Jubilee Party candidate in the Kibra parliamentary by-election, made a surprise move by phoning his Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) rival Imran Okoth to congratulate him on his victory even before the final results were announced by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
Mariga's call to Imran was a testament to the spirit of politics, as he acknowledged the outcome of the election and expressed his willingness to move forward with his opponent for the good of the people of Kibra.
"Ni Mariga, nimepiga nikuambie congratulations. Kura imekua poa hatujapigana, meeting tulikuwa pamoja na pia niko ready for lunch," Mariga told Imran in a call.
Imran acknowledged Mariga's congratulatory message on Twitter, noting: "I'm humbled to have received a congratulatory call from @MarigaOfficial. That’s the spirit of politics. I promise to move forward with every interested party for the good of our people. God bless Kibra."
Unconfirmed results showed Imran garnered slightly above 30,000 votes in the Thursday by-election, followed by Mariga at about 17,000 votes, while ANC's Eliud Owalo was third with about 8,000 votes.
