Former ECK’s deputy says no to ODM poll job
THE former vice chairman of the defunct Electoral Commission of Kenya Gabriel Mukele has turned down a request by ODM to chair its elections board ahead of the March general election. “My people have asked me to seek an elective post in Busia county,” he said. Mukele however said credible election boards are an essential requirement for political parties to guarantee free and fair nominations and bring sobriety in party nominations to promote democracy.
Mukele was reacting to reports by sources within the party that he is set to become its next election board chairman. Sources had said Mukele was set to replace current chairman Philip Okundi, who will vie in Nyanza province. “Emihaya ODM chairman Ken Butiko and his Busia counterpart Polycap Onyango were tasked by the PM to meet Mukele after attending the burial of the father to Malaba chairman Misavini Nambwa three weeks ago,” said the source.
Yesterday, one of the sources said the attempt to rope in Mukele was meant to ensure credible nominations ahead of the elections. “It is not only because Okundi and elections director are angling to seek elective seats but the mess Okundi created in 2007 nominations, which cost the party many seats,” he said.
He admitted that ODM lost many seats because of the poor nomination that saw aspirants switch parties and go ahead to win seats that would otherwise belong to the party. Mukele said he will vie for the Butula parliamentary seat currently held by Fredrick Odhiambo of ODM. He was then commission chairman Samuel Kivuitu deputy until 2007 when he was replaced by Kihara Mutu in a controversial appointment.
This sparked off an uproar by opposition MPs who accused President Kibaki of ignoring the Inter Party Parliamentary Group pact to micromanage the commission. The commission was blamed for bungling the elections whose disputed results led to the post-election violence that left 1,300 people dead and displaced hundreds of thousands.
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