Friday, January 25, 2013

ODM in late rush to alter candidates list


ODM Election Board Chairman Franklin Bett addressing the press on January 21, 2013 at the Serena Hotel where said they will be revealing the names of their candidates on the following day. On January 24, 2013 ODM  made efforts to change the list of candidates it forwarded to the electoral commission in a late rush to save several former Nyanza MPs who lost to newcomers. PHOTO/DANIEL IRUNGU.
By ISAAC ONGIRI iongiri@ke.nationmedia.com  ( email the author)

Posted  Thursday, January 24  2013 at  22:28
In Summary
  • Move is aimed at saving careers of former MPs who lost in primaries
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ODM on Thursday made efforts to change the list of candidates it forwarded to the electoral commission in a late rush to save several former Nyanza MPs who lost to newcomers.
Top party officials had proposed crucial amendments to the list already published on the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) website despite a warning from the agency’s chairman, Mr Ahmed Issack Hassan, that no illegal alteration would be tolerated.
Several Nyanza constituencies — including Suna East, Nyatike, Karachuonyo, Kasipul, Ugenya and Homa Bay Town — were among those lined up for alterations by the ODM leaders.
The officials, led by the party’s executive director Janet Ongera, made several trips to the commission’s offices to discuss the possibility of making amendments with the director of Voter Registration and Electoral Operations, Ms Immaculate Kassait, but did not yield results.
A top official in the Prime Minister’s Office also stepped in to facilitate the desperate last-minute rush to salvage the crashing careers of four former Nyanza MPs John Pesa (Migori), James Rege (Karachuonyo), Otieno Ogindo (Rangwe) and Oyugi Magwanga (Kasipul Kabondo).
Though a properly signed amendment was forwarded to the IEBC, chances that the commission will approve the proposed changes are remote due to legal technicalities already in place.
“It is very clear that the list submitted on January 21 at midnight is the one that this commission recognises. I can assure that no alterations will be tolerated whatsoever,” Mr Hassan told the Nation.
Elimination
Mr Hassan on Wednesday ordered the commission’s IT department to scan and publish the hard copy lists forwarded to his office by the parties. This was after it emerged that soft copies submitted by parties could have been altered.
Successful aspirants targeted for elimination from the list also kept monitoring the movement of ODM officials to ensure their names remained in the lists.

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