Chaos, confusion mar Jubilee Party polls in counties

Police lob tear-gas canisters to disperse rowdy Jubilee aspirants and supporters outside the former TNA offices in Nakuru during the election of party county officials, yesterday. [PHOTO: JOSEPH KIPSANG/STANDARD]

The process of choosing Jubilee Party officials was off to a stormy start leaders eyeing various positions differed publicly.

In Nakuru County, police lobbed tear-gas canisters to disperse a group of protesters that had converged outside the party’s Milimani office to stop the picking of local officials, saying the process was flawed.

The demonstrators, who appeared to back Naivasha businessman James Karimi for the position of interim JP county chairman, accused County Assembly Speaker Susan Kihika of interfering with the process.

The protesters attempted to force their way into the compound where registered aspirants and elected leaders were meeting. But they were repulsed by police who hurled tear-gas canisters at them.

Mr Karimi said despite a directive from the party headquarters, Ms Kihika, who was appointed Central Rift presidential campaign coordinator, had hijacked the process.

But Kihika defended herself from the allegations, saying her role was to ensure interim officials were appointed through an agreed formula - consensus.

Meanwhile, JP interim Secretary General Veronicah Maina was busy trying to unite the two factions that had emerged.

The county office is to be made up of 19 officials picked through consensus and in line with the constitution.

By 3pm, the leaders who included nominated senators Liz Chelule and Martha Wangari, MPs Jacob Macharia (Molo), Nelson Gaichuhie (Subukia), Nderitu Macharia (Gilgil), Samuel Arama (Nakuru Town West), David Gikaria (Nakuru Town East), Bahati’s Kimani Ngunjiri and aspirants for various seats were still haggling over the positions.

The leaders agreed to have Manyara as the overall county chairman.

At the Coast, chaos erupted in Taita Taveta County as leaders clashed over the criterion to be used to pick interim officials of the party.

Taveta MP Naomi Shaban disagreed with other party leaders over the list of delegates to participate in the election and the method to be used to elect new party officials.

The Parliamentary Deputy Majority Leader and Returning Officer Chris Mark Said were hard pressed to explain why the party was using the delegates system instead of party supporters.

Dr Shaban and the returning officer took the leaders through the rules guiding the election of the 19 interim officials.

The Jubilee Party legislator said President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto reiterated only delegates who took part in the National Delegates Conference (NDC) would be allowed to participate, an issue party backers vehemently opposed.

She said the Registrar of Political Parities would not accept names of officials who did not participate in the Kasarani NDC.

“If your name is not in the list of NDC, you will not participate. We should be practical,” Shaban told the leaders.

The meeting turned chaotic after party supporters accused the lawmaker of trying to impose leaders on the people.

Former Voi deputy Mayor Zahid Din, youth leader Mark Madaraka and Taita Taveta County Jubilee Forum member Faustine Mghendi opposed Shaban’s suggestion to use the delegates system and called for the amendment of the party election rules to allow all supporters to participate.

Matters were not any different in the Mt Kenya region where the exercise started on a stormy note in some counties.

In Kiambu, the process was marred by chaos as aspirants disagreed on the list of interim officials while in Murang’a, Embu and Kirinyaga the exercise was delayed following a stalemate occasioned by differences among contestants.

The exercise that is expected to continue in Nyeri, Laikipia, Meru, Tharaka Nithi and Isiolo today is set to calm down the nerves of aspirants who have accused incumbents of attempting to run away with the new outfit.

Deep divisions among contestants and sitting governors, senators, MPs and members of the county assembly (MCAs) have seen activities stall since the party was unveiled by Uhuru and Ruto in September.

Yesterday, drama unfolded at a hotel in Ruaka, Kiambaa, where all aspirants had gathered to elect six of the 19 officials.

The meeting, chaired by Thika MP Alice Ng’ang’a who was also recently named the head of the presidential campaigns in the county, was disrupted when some aspirants who had been barred from the venue stormed the meeting.

It took the intervention of officers from Karuri police station to calm down the situation after the group became rowdy.

Aspirants for the gubernatorial position, among them incumbent William Kabogo, his challengers Ferdinand Waititu, David Ngari commonly known as Gakuyo and James Nyoro, did not attend the meeting.

In Murang’a, a 19-man team to spearhead the Jubilee Party campaign was elected amid tension between rival camps.

The exercise started shortly after midday, with leaders denouncing those propagating violence ahead of the polls.

The exercise was faced with challenges with aspirants from Kiharu constituency failing to pick officials to represent them in the committee before Kangema MP Tiras Ngahu led them in voting.

After the exercise, Murang’a Governor Mwangi wa Iria and Kigumo MP Jamleck Kamau said all leaders aspiring for positions must embrace peace.

The election went on in Kirinyaga where four representatives from each constituency were picked.They include Rose Njeru (Gichugu), Newton Njiru (Kirinyaga Central), John Mithamo (Ndia) and John Kihia of Mwea. Lucy Wangari will represent special groups.

In Embu, candidates disagreed, making the meeting proceed late into the evening.

In Kakamega, the exercise was peaceful and interim party officials were cautioned against vying for political seats in the forthcoming polls.

Moses Lumiti was appointed chairman while the secretary general post went to Alphonse Masinde. Tony Nabwera scooped the position of organising secretary while Joseph Kalibo is the interim treasurer.

In Nandi, businessman Sammy Kipchirchir Biwott from Emgwen constituency was elected Nandi Jubilee Party branch chairperson.

Elphas Tuwei and Josphat Kipchumba were elected unopposed for positions of vice chairman and branch secretary, respectively, while Henry Rono was elected unopposed to be branch treasurer.

Over 300 political aspirants and a majority of the county’s elected leaders turned up for the elections yesterday.

In attendance were MPs Kirwa Bittok (Mosop), Cornelly Serem (Aldai), Elijah Lagat (Chesumei), Alfred Keter (Nandi Hills), Governor Cleophas Lagat, Senator Stephen Sang, Woman Representative Zipporah Kerring, and Deputy Governor Dominic Biwott, among others.

In Migori, a meeting meant to elect Jubilee Party officials was disrupted after chaos broke out over claims of bias against a group of candidates.

The meeting held at a hotel in Migori town was marred by shouting matches and fist fights when the organisers stood at the entrance with lists and barred those not registered.

Joseph Hoyo Mogosi, a URP party elected MCA for Makerero in Kuria, said the party constitution stipulates that all governors, senators, woman representatives and MPs sitting on a Jubilee ticket were to present six people as delegates.

— Reports by Steve Mkawale, Lydia Nyawira, Kamau Maichuhie, Ignatius Odanga, Scophine Otieno, Renson Mnyamwezi and Rael Jelimo