Kosgey, Kosgei Clinch ODM Tickets Unopposed

Situation in Lamu during nominations.

BY WINSTONE CHISEREMI
FRIDAY, 18 JANUARY, 2013

Industrialisation minister Henry Kosgey will vie for the senator seat on an ODM ticket. He was unopposed in the party’s nomination yesterday in Nandi county after his opponent, retired Kenya Army General Augustine Cheruiyot decamped to the Federal Party of Kenya.

Agriculture minister Dr Sally Kosgei, who was also unopposed ,will vie for the Aldai Constituency seat on an ODM ticket. Victory In Uasin Gishu county, governor seat aspirant Higher Education minister Prof Margaret Kamar also went in unopposed and expressed optimism she will emerge victorious in March 4.

Cheruiyot said he had been rigged out by ODM party in favour of Kosgey, who is outgoing Tinderet Member of Parliament. “I have decided to ditch ODM party since I was rigged out. I was told that I could not contest for the senator seat on the party ticket since Kosgey was contesting on the same, which I felt was unfair to me,” he said.

He said the ODM national secretariat said that there would be no nominations for the seat. I had to vie for the seat on another party. I felt betrayed by the party that I have supported and marketed in the region for so long,” he said. Cheruiyot told his supporters to vote for him saying he is sure of delivering despite party changes. “I am still contesting and my policies remain the same despite party changes.

I urge my supporters in the county to remain solidly behind me,” he added. Confusion marked the beginning of the nomination in the county after ballot materials delayed by two hours and took long to be dispatched to various polling centres.

Some of the polling centres did not receive ballot papers and ballot boxes. Kiptuiya polling centre in Chesumei constituency, Siwo polling centre in Emgwen and another polling station in Soba ward in Tindiret district did not receive election materials.