Two Somalis Face-Off for Kamkunji Seat. Windbag Simon Mbugua loses to Yussuf Hassan for PNU Ticket

 Former Matatu tout and all-round blowhard, Simon Mbugua, lost to Yussuf Hassan for the Kamkunji PNU ticket thus ensuring a Somali face-off for the Kamkunji seat.

To Simon Mbugua, we say Good riddance!

The Nairobi Star Reports:

Yusuf Hassan Abdi is the PNU alliance candidate for Kamukunji after trouncing former MP Simon Mbugua in primaries held yesterday. Yusuf garnered 460 votes against Mbugua's 345 in a peaceful election held under tight security.
Returning officer Titus Ibui declared Yusuf the winnner at 4.30pm amid jubilation from his supporters who had thronged the Bomas of Kenya in Nairobi.
An elated Yusuf could not hide is joy as this has accorded him the opportunity to seek a seat he lost to Mbugua in 2007.“I want to invite by rival Simon Mbugua to join me in the campaigns for the PNU allaince to clinch this seat,” Yusuf said.
On Wednesday, the primaries were put off after Mbugua led his supporers in disrupting the exercise while demanding the electoral college to adopt acclamation.
However, yesterday a contingent of over 300 regular and APs led by Lang'ata OCPD Rono Bunei manned the exercise, effectively ensuring no interruption. The PNU candidate will face ODM's Ibrahim Ahmed aka 'Johny' and Narc Kenya's Brian Weke.
After the results were announced, Mbugua left the tallying centre silently without uttering a word and it was not clear if he had conceded defeat.
Yesterday, Yusuf expresed confidence of capturing the Kamukunji by-election on May 23 saying he represented change in development strategies."I intend to fight a good fight and win and I want to thank all the supporters and people of Kamkunji for nominating me," he said.
The use of the electoral college system yesterday was a milestone for PNU since this is the fisrt time such method has been applied. Returning officer Titus Ibui plauded the method saying that its is the most transparent system devoid of any rigging or anomalies.
All parties participating in the by-election were supposed to complete their nominations yesterday, and return their nomination papers to the IIEC by April 26.
The win by Yusuf, is likely to make the by election an interesting as main parties ODM, PNU and Narc Kenya flex their muscles once again.
Prime Minister Raila Odinga, Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka and Gichugu MP Martha Karua will lead the campaigns for the three parties respectively.