Aspirants scramble for party tickets

By Standard Team

KENYA: Sporadic violence, street protests, destruction of property and confrontations among aspirants over party nomination tickets eclipsed the usual Sunday calm.

Worst hit by the wrangles was Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s party, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and Mr William Ruto’s United Republican Party (URP).

There was confusion as to who won in some areas as rival groups both came out to demand certificates.  The road to Kisumu was barricaded with bonfires, tree branches, stones and even metallic signboards as houses were burnt down in Homa Bay County.

In Nairobi, an aspirant was stabbed in the court of a house in Buru Buru and was battling for dear life in the intensive care unit of Metropolitan Hospital.

Aspirants seething with rage stormed a hotel in Karen, Nairobi where the ODM Elections Board and the disputes tribunal were meeting. They created chaotic scenes, as they demanded nomination certificates.

In Kisumu, angry ODM supporters erupted in fury at midnight on Saturday, seconds after the returning officer declared Raila’s sister, Ms Ruth Odinga the winner of Governor ticket race. This prompted Franklin Bett to release a statement saying the results announced by the official were not final. 

The returning officer read the list of those nominated to contest on the ODM ticket in the old Nyanza Province uninterrupted until he called out Ms Odinga’s name.  

This sparked violence, which was only contained by anti-riot police officers that tear-gassed the protestors forcing them to scamper away into the darkness from Tom Mboya Labour College hall.

The charged ODM supporters, however, regrouped Sunday morning and engaged police in running battles around Kondele and surrounding estates for the better part of the day. Sunday, ODM officials in Nairobi were yet to resolve the dispute over who won the party’s ticket for Siaya County governor where outgoing Bondo MP Oburu Odinga was fighting against his main challenger William Oduol.

Other means

As Raila’s allies strove to contain the perception that the party had favoured his sister and brother, a news conference was convened last night by Bett, during which it was announced that the appeals board would make a decision today on the fates of Oburu and William Oduol.

Also to be resolved is a petition by immediate former Gem MP Jakoyo Midiwo, another relative of Raila against his rival Elisha Ochieng who had been declared winner of the ODM Gem constituency ticket.

The ODM Elections Board also said it had nullified results in Kisumu, Homa Bay and Migori due to the violence, and the party would use other means it did not specify to pick the candidates. In the areas where the vote was peaceful and results uncontested, certificates have been issued, said Bett.

At Ahero, along the Kisumu-Kericho road, another group of rioters blocked vehicles demanding the party revokes the nomination of outgoing area MP Mr Fred Outa.

In the evening, more than 10 houses and shops were torched by violent party supporters protesting alleged rigging of ODM nominations in Homa Bay County.

ODM’s returning officer for Homa Bay, Mr John Mulei announced in Nairobi that Immigration Minister Otieno Kajwang had won the party’s senate ticket, Cyprian Awiti that for governor and Gladys Wanga the ticket for women’s representative.

At the URP offices some dissatisfied aspirants unsuccessfully demanded to meet Ruto at his Ngong Road office. Reports from Eldoret, said some successful aspirants, among them Mr Sila Tiren, had not received their certificates amid unconfirmed reports the party was considering picking loser Joseph Lagat as its flag bearer. 

A County Assembly aspirant for Makongeni Ward in Nairobi was rushed to Metropolitan Hospital in Buru Buru after unknown people stabbed her in her Buru Buru Phase V house.

There was chaos and confusion at URP offices in Nairobi when aspirants for the various seats went to collect their nomination certificates. Aspirants who could not receive their certificates demanded explanations from party leaders while vowing never to leave the premises until their problems were addressed.

Those who spoke to The Standard accused top party officials of misleading them and further giving their preferred candidates certificates. However, journalists from KTN and The Standard were kicked out of the party premises by hired security.

“This is private property. We don’t want interviews here or anywhere around this building,” charged a security man as he goaded the journalists out.

Earlier, URP chairman Francis ole Kaparo addressed a press conference and said the party had resolved nomination disputes, including those of hotly contested areas. But outside the office was a crowd that was seeking audience with the party’s National Elections Board and other leaders.

Chaos erupted at the ODM offices in Nairobi last evening as scores of aspirants and their supporters camped at Orange House demanding certificates. Three lorries full of General Service Unit officers, however, kept them at bay while another group of armed police officers maintained peace at Hillcrest School where another group of ODM officials was meeting.

Resolve complaints

At The National Alliance (TNA) party a group of officials met in Westlands, Nairobi to resolve complaints lodged by aspirants from all areas across the country.

They later moved to Laico Regency Hotel where certificates were given to successful aspirants, despite incessant complaints by losers.

At Nyakwere in Rachuonyo District, residents alleged Okundi had been declared the governor ticket holder, causing uproar from the residents who said Engineer Cyprian Awiti had trounced him. A contingent of armed GSU officers were deployed at the scene after rioters barricaded the Kisumu-Kendu Bay highway.

One of the protestors, Arthur Oburu claimed Awiti got the majority votes and if he weren’t given the ticket, his supporters would review their support for Raila in the race for State House.  “Raila knows that all these things are happening yet he is not doing anything,” he said.

At Ahero protestors blocked Ahero Bridge along Kisumu-Nairobi Highway, paralysing transport. They did not think it was fair to declare Outa had beaten his rival Jared Okello for the ODM ticket in the Nyando parliamentary race. Waving twigs, protestors said they were rethinking their support for ODM since the party?had “disappointed” them.

The chairman of Orange Young Democrats, Kennedy Odongo, argued that ODM should not take in those whom the people’s voice had thrown out. The rioters were similarly angered by the fact that Ms Odinga was ‘awarded’ the governor’s ticket yet she reportedly trailed Mr Jack Ranguma.