ODM party candidate Fernandes Odinga Barasa was on Tuesday declared the winner of the Kakamega Governor election, which was postponed by electoral body IEBC twice.

Barasa trounced Cleophas Malala of Amani National Congress (ANC) party, which is allied to President-Elect William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza alliance, to bag the hotly contested election.

Barasa garnered 192,929 votes against Malala’s 159,508 in the election that was seen as an extension of the might battle between Ruto and Azimio presidential flagbearer Raila Odinga.

Fernandes Barasa. PHOTO/BARASA

The former Managing Director of Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (KETRACO) was at around noon escorted by his supporters from his Harambee home to the Kakamega Tallying center to pick his certificate from IEBC.

Malala on Tuesday mid-morning conceded defeat and asked other leaders who have been defeated to always concede defeat whenever poll results do not work out in their favour.

Cleophas Malala. PHOTO/COURTESY

The former Kakamega Senator also met members of his campaign team and assured them that he would not abandon them after the poll defeat promising them better days ahead.

The governor elections in Kakamega and Mombasa were rescheduled by IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati on August 9 following a mix-up in the candidates' photos and names and postponed again on August 15 due to alleged security concerns.