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Opinion poll: Tunai ahead of Olekina in Narok senatorial race


Narok Governor Samuel Tunai would have easily made it to the Senate if elections were held today, according to the latest poll from Mizani Africa.

According to the poll, whose results were released on Thursday, 51.7 per cent of the respondents said they would vote Tunai, while 30 per cent said they would vote for the incumbent senator Ledama Olekina.

Tunai is running on a United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ticket, while Olekina is seeking reelection on an ODM ticket.

Kilgoris MP Gideon Konchellah of the ruling Jubilee Party comes third with 8.3 per cent ahead of Isaac K. Cheruiyot on 5.8 per cent.

The survey was conducted between May 27 to June 1 across the six constituencies in Narok County.

Olekina, a close ally to the ODM leader Raila Odinga, has been a vocal supporter of the government’s effort to restore Mau Forest.

In 2018, evictions left thousands as the government moved to restore encroached land, a step Olekina supported.

But in April this year, the senator apologised to a section of the Kipsigis community whom he targeted in his remarks during the campaigns to restore Mau Forest. The senator apologised through a tweet, saying he regretted making hateful and disrespectful remarks.

Kipsigis is the second-largest community in Narok which is dominated by the Maasai, and the two communities play a big role in deciding election outcomes.