This archive report was first published on 8 November 2019.
Mariga's Downfall in Kibra By-Election ¶
Published on November 8, 2019, the Kibra by-elections have come to a close, with ODM's Imran Okoth emerging victorious. Jubilee's candidate, McDonald Mariga, put up a good fight, but ultimately failed to win the hearts of the Kibra voters.
Mariga's candidature was doomed from the start due to Jubilee's internal divisions, his poor public speaking skills, and lack of a tangible manifesto for Kibra. Despite this, he managed to perform beyond expectations, but it was not enough to secure his victory.
Reasons for Mariga's Failure ¶
- Mariga's candidature was launched amidst Jubilee's internal divisions, which made it difficult for him to gain traction.
- He lacked a clear and tangible manifesto for Kibra, which made it hard for him to connect with the voters.
- Mariga's poor public speaking skills made it difficult for him to articulate his vision and policies.
- He was not prepared for the race and lacked the necessary knowledge to tackle the day-to-day challenges faced by the Kibra voters.
- Mariga's candidature was portrayed as a defiance against Uhuru Kenyatta, which made it difficult for him to gain support from the Jubilee leadership.
- William Ruto's enemies in Kibra poured support into other candidates, making it difficult for Mariga to secure a win.
- The ODM campaign team's joint push with Jubilee, Narc, and Kanu leaders gave Imran a nationalistic interest and masked the shambolic nomination process.
- Massive voter bribery was witnessed in the earlier hours of the polls, which created fear among those who wanted to sway the voters with finances.
- Replacing a dead man in a by-election is one of the most emotive things in Kenya, and Imran had a head start by virtue of having worked as the constituency manager.
- The Kenyan voter is fatigued and no longer cares about promises of good roads, stadiums, water, and healthcare.
