By John Mutiso
President William Ruto on Tuesday, December 2, welcomed the newly elected Mbeere North MP Leonard Muriuki Wa Muthende to State House, Nairobi.
In photographs shared from the high-profile meeting, President Ruto and MP Wamuthende were joined by ODM leader Oburu Oginga, Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku, and Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire.
The State House reception came just hours after Wamuthende took his oath of office before Speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetang’ula, officially becoming the Member of Parliament for Mbeere North Constituency.
Wamuthende’s path to Parliament was far from easy. The UDA candidate secured a narrow victory in the November 27 by-election, defeating Democratic Party’s Newton Kariuki Ndwiga by a mere 494 votes in what proved to be one of the most fiercely contested races in recent memory.
Wamuthende garnered 15,802 votes against Karish’s 15,308, with the tight margin reflecting the intense competition for the seat.
The by-election was necessitated after Geoffrey Ruku, who was present at Tuesday’s State House meeting, vacated the seat following his appointment as Cabinet Secretary for Public Service.
For President Ruto, who also serves as the UDA party leader, Wamuthende’s victory represented a significant win for the ruling party. UDA characterized the outcome as a resounding endorsement of their development agenda, with the party stating that voters in Mbeere North had ‘chosen a path of development, dignity, and stability’ while standing firm against what they described as intimidation and uncertainty.
The swearing-in ceremony was part of a larger event that saw six Members of Parliament and a new senator formally assume office.
Among those sworn in alongside Wamuthende were Ahmed Maalim Hassan for Banissa, David Athman Ndakwa for Malava, Boyd Were Ongondo for Kasipul, Moses Okoth Omondi for Ugunja, and Harrison Garama Kombe, who returned to Parliament as MP for Magarini following a court-ordered repeat election.
