TNA aspirants hit at Jubilee free ticket claims

Embakasi East ODM Parliamentary seat aspirant John Omondi addresses supporters at Donholm Estate, Nairobi yesterday where Cord Alliance aspirants met ahead of the party’s nomination on January 10. PHOTO: JAMES KAESA

BY 
MONDAY, 31 DECEMBER, 2012

They were protesting reports that URP will be handed seats in Langata and Dagoretti

The National Alliance (TNA) aspirants in Dagoretti North and Lang’ata Constituencies yesterday protested against claims the Jubilee alliance had agreed to allocate the two seats to the United Republican Party (URP) . The aspirants cited a media report on 23 and 27 this month that TNA had agreed to hand over the seats to the URP without holding joint nominations. Speaking in Karen, the more than 20 aspirants called on the party’s top organ to hold joint nominations in the constituencies to ensure the coalition’s victory. The aspirants said each party should be allowed to do its own nomination and then two nominated aspirants should contest for the Jubilee nomination. Public Health minister Beth Mugo had to move in to assure the protesting aspirants that the two leaders in the coalition were in support of joint nominations. “You all know that the Jubilee coalition has declared that the nominations will be free and fair to avoid any fallout, we are well prepared to ensure we form the next Government,” she said. “Our common goal is to clinch all seats in Lang’ata and Dagoretti North for parliamentary and county representatives and considering the challenge ahead, we registered more voters than our competing parties,” said Douglas Kithyaka an aspirant for the Langa’ta parliamentary seat. Kibathi Thuo who is also aspiring for the Lang’ata seat said they had spent a lot of resources in registering and mobilising their supporters which would greatly affect them if the posts are surrendered to the URP side. Meanwhile former assistant minister Dick Wathika have asked TNA leadership to ensure the forthcoming nominations will be free and fair. Wathika said the party needs to stem growing anxiety among members over the party’s ability to hold credible nominations. “We have been waiting for the party officials to tell us how they intend to carry out the nominations but they have been quiet,” Wathika said when he sensitised women leaders in Nyeri on the need to mobilise their communities to elect good leaders. The politician, who has shifted his political base from Makadara in Nairobi to Mukurweini said as far as the party membership is concerned, the only candidate with a ticket from the party was their presidential candidate Uhuru Kenyatta.