NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 18 – Deputy President Kithure Kindiki’s aide Paul Mugambi has emerged as the clear frontrunner in the race for the Tharaka parliamentary seat, while incumbent Tharaka MP George Murugara trails the leading candidate in the Tharaka Nithi gubernatorial contest by 8.5 percentage points, according to a new Timely Kenya opinion poll.
The survey places Mugambi at 52 per cent support in the Tharaka constituency race, giving him a commanding 22-point lead over Mwenda Gataya, who polled 30 per cent.
Muchomba Marigu garnered 11.7 per cent, while 4.7 per cent of respondents remained undecided.
Timely Kenya described Mugambi’s showing as “the widest MP margin in the county,” underscoring his early dominance in the race.
In the gubernatorial race, Professor Erastus Njoka leads with 25.5 per cent support, followed by Susan Ngugi Mwindu at 21.1 per cent.
Murugara polled 17 per cent, placing him 8.5 percentage points behind the frontrunner, while Kareke Mbiuki garnered 10.2 per cent. A further 25.7 per cent of respondents said they were yet to decide.
The pollster described the governor’s race as “a fragmented four-way field” and said it remains “wide open,” citing the large proportion of undecided voters despite Njoka’s lead.
The survey also found incumbent Governor Muthomi Njuki enjoying a comfortable lead in the race for the county’s Senate seat with 40.3 per cent support, ahead of Samuel Ragwa’s 24.6 per cent.
Njeru Ingara polled 9 per cent, while 20 per cent of respondents remained undecided.
In the Woman Representative contest, Wanja M’Rithaa topped the field with 18.9 per cent, narrowly ahead of Christine Gitari (15.5 per cent), Lisabeth Gatiria (15 per cent) and Diana Mbuba (12.8 percent).
Timely Kenya termed it “the most open race in the county,” with 26.8 per cent of voters yet to make up their minds.
Elsewhere, Kaburu Bongo led the Maara parliamentary race with 35.4 per cent against Nyagah Muisraeli’s 26.9 per cent, while Patrick Munene held a slim lead in Chuka Igambang’ombe with 39 per cent compared to challenger John Mbabu’s 35 percent, a contest the pollster described as “a dead heat.”
The survey was conducted between July 13 and 15 using Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviews (CATI) across Tharaka Nithi’s three constituencies.
Timely Kenya said it interviewed 718 respondents and reported a margin of error of ±2.8 per cent.