Thursday, July 8, 2010

Parties in row over Matuga poll officer

Two camps backing candidates in the race for the Matuga parliamentary seat on Wednesday clashed over the choice of the returning officer.

Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka of PNU asked the Interim Independent Electoral Commission (IIEC) to respond to fears by his party’s supporters that Ms Hellen Sidi would not be impartial in Monday’s by-election. He spoke while campaigning for his party’s candidate, Mr Chirau Mwakwere.

First mistake

“Where there is smoke, there is fire. We have faith in the IIEC but let them not make the first mistake in Matuga. I know they won’t make it,” said Mr Kalonzo as he addressed a crowd attending a rally at Kwale Town’s Baraza Park.

He said the attention of the world was now riveted on Matuga and every effort must be made to ensure the polls were free and fair. “Let there be no theft of votes as the people of Kenya are very enlightened,” Mr Musyoka said.

The VP was reacting to messages on banners carried by the party’s supporters at the rally. Some of them read: “Tunataka Uchaguzi wa Haki. Sidi must go”, “We need fair elections. Si lazima Sidi”.

But in a swift rejoinder, the ODM team backing Mr Hassan Mwanyoha in his bid to capture the seat termed the anti-Sidi sentiments unfortunate. It expressed confidence in her ability and that of the elections team to oversee free and fair polls.

Lands minister James Orengo and his East African Community counterpart, Mr Amason Kingi, said Ms Sidi’s appointment was carried out within the laws governing the operations and mandate of the IIEC and claims that she would be impartial did not hold water.

The ministers said the worry in the PNU camp stemmed from past mistrust with electoral agencies and the tendency of the ruling elite of the day to try and influence electoral outcomes by dictating who should be appointed as returning officers.

“It is all a hangover from the Kanu days when election officials were appointed on the basis of their relationship to the president or his men. That is no longer the case,” Mr Orengo said.

Mr Kingi cautioned the PNU camp against making sweeping statements but instead table proof to back their allegations. He challenged the camp to follow laid-down procedures in addressing such concerns.

The two ministers spoke in Kwale as they received supporters who had defected from the United Democratic Movement that is fronting Mr Kassim Tandaza.

At the same time, security personnel have been deployed across Matuga constituency in readiness for the poll. Deputy Coast provincial police boss Henry Barmao said the move will ensure security for all the parties involved.

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