Monday, June 17, 2013

TNA intimidating ODM poll petitioners, says Nyong'o - See more at: http://www.the-star.co.ke/news/article-124505/tna-intimidating-odm-poll-petitioners-says-nyongo#sthash.Wuc46PXt.dpuf

Monday, June 17, 2013 - 00:00 -- BY JUSTUS OCHIENG
FORMER Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s ODM party has accused President Uhuru’s TNA of blackmailing its poll petitioners. ODM secretary general Anyang’ Nyong’o said TNA has resorted to intimidation of some of their candidates who filed court petitions after the March 4 election.
Speaking at Wanangwe Primary School in Muhoroni constituency at the week- end during a thanksgiving ceremony for Miwani county representative Maurice Ondiek, Nyong’o said the court must be allowed to work independently. Accompanied by Siaya Senator James Orengo, Muhoroni MP Onyango Koyoo and more than 30 Kisumu county representatives, Nyong’o said intimidation of petitioners is a deliberate attempt to sabotage democracy.
“ODM party has received complaints from some of its petitioners of intimidation by TNA to drop their cases. This is an attempt to sabotage democracy that Kenyans fought for for years,” he said. Nyong’o claimed that recently an ODM candidate for Kajiado East constituency Kakuta ole Maimai was taken to State House and threatened to give up his petition case. Maimai is challenging the election of Peris Tobiko of TNA as the Kajiado East MP. Nyong’o alleged that while at State House, Maimai was told to drop the petition “or else TNA ensures he loses it and pays a fine worth Sh 6 million.”
“This is total blackmail that ODM members will not tolerate. We are asking the courts to apply high level of impartiality while handling these petitions not to allow any individual to influence their decisions,” added the Kisumu Senator. Nyong’o noted that TNA party was also working in cahoots with some of its members to blackmail candidates in the Makueni Senate race.
He exuded confidence Cord will recapture the seat left vacant by the death of Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo. Orengo said ODM party will embark on a postmortem on its internal democracy. He said they have received numerous complaints from members over the party’s internal democracy. “Internal democracy must be addressed and must start from down to the upper positions,” he said.
- See more at: http://www.the-star.co.ke/news/article-124505/tna-intimidating-odm-poll-petitioners-says-nyongo#sthash.Wuc46PXt.dpuf

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