Wiper’s Agnes Kavindu has been sworn in as the Machakos Senator.
Kavindu succeeds the late Boniface Kabaka, becoming the fourth elected woman senator.
Others are Susan Kihika, Prof Margaret Kamar and Fatuma Dulo.
Kavindu was declared the winner of the Machakos Senatorial by-election on Friday after she garnered 104,352 votes against her closes competitor Urbanus Ngengele of UDA who got 19,726.
The Machakos senatorial by-election had been billed as a do-or-die contest whose results will make significant political statements ahead of the 2022 General Election.
The mini poll was a proxy battle between former Machakos Senator Johnstone Muthama and Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka who was defending his political turf with the hope of increased stake in an emerging alliance.
In her media interviews, Kavindu identified herself as a farmer and a preacher having preached through the Biblia Husema Broadcasting studios for more than seven years up until 2017 when she immersed herself fully in politics.
In the last general election, Kavindu vied for the Machakos Woman Representative seat on the Jubilee ticket but was defeated by Wiper’s Joyce Kamene.
She was later appointed by President Uhuru Kenyatta to the 14-member Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) Committee in 2018.
Kavindu got married to former Machakos Senator Johnstone Muthama in 1978. They separated a few years later in 1983 with Kavindu being granted custody of the children while Muthama was tasked with child support.
She won the Machakos senatorial seat in a by-election marked by family rivalry and succession politics.
Kavindu said her former husband Muthama should be respected.
“The fact that I’ve been elected senator doesn’t mean I’m in any competition with him,” she said.
She thanked Kalonzo, President Uhuru Kenyatta and Machakos residents for support they showed her and the Wiper party.
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