Thursday, May 5, 2011

Bullfighting banned in Ikolomani campaigns


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Share/Save/Bookmark THE IIEC has banned bullfight contests in Ikolomani until after the May 23 by-election.The commission said staging the competition during the campaigns would compromise peace. “Candidates must not organise such events or even use Isukuti drums during their campaign rallies because supporters attend such events with clubs and other weapons while drunk and this can compromise the peaceful campaigns we envisage,” returning officer Benjamin Tarus said.
He said the commission warned candidates they would take responsibility for any breach of the peace committed by their supporters. The official campaign period ends on May 21. He said the candidates must restrain their supporters against engaging in violent activities or be disqualified from the race.
The seat fell vacant after a Kakamega High Court nullified Bonni Khalwale’s election in 2007 as area MP citing irregularities in the vote tally. Khalwale is an ardent supporter of bullfighting.
The commission has already cleared Khalwale on New Ford Kenya, ODM’s Bernard Shinali and Collins Matemba of Ford-People to contest the seat.
Meanwhile, Khalwale has appealed to voters to allow him complete projects he started by re-electing him. Khalwale said he was not sure another person will complete projects he started if he lost the election. He said he started schools, hospitals, water and electricity projects that he planned to finish in the remaining one year.
He said he would contest the Ikolomani seat in 2012 noting his eyes were now set to the senate seat for Kakamega County. “Give me my remaining one year and in 2012, I will leave the seat for either Bernard Shinali or Collins Matemba or any other candidate because my political ambitions have expanded and I want to be a senator for Kakamega County,” said Khalwale.
Khalwale was addressing campaign rallies at Imbale and Shisesya primary schools in the constituency on Tuesday. Khalwale said he was not interested in the job of MP but wanted to provide leadership and serve the people of Ikolomani.
He cautioned the voters against voting along clan lines saying clans based politics translated into tribal enclaves that threatened peace and stability.
He said: “The corrupt fought me so that I can create room for them to continue with their activities but I can assure them I will be back and will not spare them,” said Khalwale. He said that parliament is full of proponents of impunity and required a person determined to face them to protect the majority poor.

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