By JAMES OMORO
ODM nominations in Ndhiwa were concluded amid claims of rigging.
The exercise, conducted through secret ballot, ended yesterday with some aspirants threatening to move to court to challenge Mr Augustine Netto’s victory.
Voters warned that if ODM does not address the anomalies, they would support a different party in the by-election.
Amid chants of “No fair nomination, TNA is the best option”, residents demonstrated in parts of the constituency to protest the anomalies in the nomination. Yesterday, aspirants who lost the race claimed ODM had denied them their democratic right by withholding their results.
“We strongly doubt the result. How can a returning officer announce the winner alone as if he was the only one who participated in the primary? This is just one of the ways of perpetuating election malpractices,” an aspirant Monica Amolo said.
The Homa Bay County ODM treasurer claimed one of the aspirants’ sister was employed as a tallying clerk, a situation she said could have perpetuated rigging.
Amolo further claimed that some of the presiding officers had difficulties in reading hence doubted their performance.
imported
Mr David Ojwang’ said the presiding officers were imported from outside Homa Bay County, a situation he attributed to the late arrival of voting kits at all polling stations.
He complained the party elections board ignored the resolution of a Nairobi meeting where it was agreed that only the returning officer and his deputy were to come from outside Homa Bay County.
There was outcry after the name of Mr Jeremiah Owiti was found missing on ballot papers in more than 20 polling stations in his strongholds.
