Senate Majority Leader Kipchumba Murkomen has hailed Jubilee party candidate in the Kibra parliamentary by-election McDonald Mariga for conceding defeat.
Mariga on Friday morning conceded defeat and congratulated Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) candidate Imran Okoth who emerged as the winner of the by-election which attracted 24 contestants.
"I'm humbled to have received a congratulatory call from Mariga. That’s the spirit of politics. I promise to move forward with every interested party for the good of our people. God bless Kibra," Okoth tweeted.
In his congratulatory message to the Member of Parliament-elect, Murkomen hailed Mariga for conceding defeat in a 'gracious manner'.
He revisited the 2002 presidential election noting it was the last poll where the first runners up conceded defeat courteously.
"Let us not forget that the last time a number two (2) in presidential elections conceded to the winner in this gracious manner was 2002. Well done Mariga," posted the Elgeyo Marakwet Senator.
Murkomen was apparently taunting ODM party leader Raila Odinga who emerged second in 2007, 2013 and 2017 elections, but didn't concede defeat on grounds the results were rigged.
According to the provisional results, Okoth garnered 24,636 votes followed by Mariga who got 11,230 votes.
Coming at a distant third was Eliud Owalo of ANC who garnered 5,275 votes followed by Ford-Kenya's Khamisi Butichi with 260 votes.