Jubilee Party in logistics nightmare ahead of primaries

Mogotio MP aspirant Kiborek Reuben exchange blows with Aspirant Daniel Tuitoek at the School of Government in Kabarnet to complain about the recruitment of presiding officers in secret by some leaders so as to favor them during the jubilee oncoming primaries which later broke out into violent after a bitter disagreement.PHOTO:MOSES KIPSANG

Jubilee Party is staring at a logistical nightmare of managing the one-day primaries in 33 counties involving more than 8,000 aspirants for various seats.

Party Secretary General Raphael Tuju acknowledged the logistics involved to pull off Friday’s vote is the biggest challenge in conducting party primaries.

The party has printed 7.5 million ballot papers, which will be distributed across the 20,000 polling stations.

Each polling station will be manned by three polling officers as the party has recruited 60,000 officials.

PRESS BRIEFING

Yesterday, Tuju who was in day-long meetings to prepare for the nominations, said there will be a press briefing today to explain the logistics being put in place for the party primaries.

He assured the party was well prepared to deliver a free and credible process.

“The biggest challenge is logistics; how do you ensure the polling materials are in the polling stations by 6am when people come to cast their votes? So we have to work backwards to ensure all materials and people involved are in place on time,” Tuju had told The Standard in an earlier interview.

He added: “It is a logistical nightmare, but that being the case, we are prepared to have the materials delivered for the process to run smoothly.”

The party has said the polling materials will be transported under tight security on Thursday and ensure they are distributed by night.

To discourage saboteurs the party has spelt out punitive action for those who disrupt the exercise. “If you are found dealing in any kind of violence, you will be disqualified if you are a candidate or jailed. It will be unfortunate but please, do not test our resolve,” Tuju warned.

Jubilee’s nominations are a do-or-die affair especially in the ruling party’s strongholds where securing the ticket is taken almost as guarantee of victory in the elections.

Two Kiambu MCA aspirants have gone missing just two days to the party vote.

Ikinu ward aspirant Kenneth Kinyanjui was kidnapped by unknown people on Monday night as he went to his father’s home. In Juja, police are investigating the disappearance of Margaret Wanjiru Kibe, the Kalimoni ward aspirant, who went missing on Monday.

Kesses parliamentary aspirant Swarup Mishra was hospitalised after he was assaulted at a hotel in Eldoret town.

And a Jubilee party aspirants meeting in Baringo to settle differences turned chaotic after leaders failed to agree on the way forward.

An Administration Police officer was seriously injured as he tried to prevent irate protesters from entering the Kenya School of Government in Kabarnet.

The aspirants met there following allegations that a list of poling clerks, presiding officers and the returning officers favoured incumbent leaders in the region.

Mogotio MP Hellen Sambili said they gave names of those who applied for the job to the election board but the final list she claimed favoured her rival Dr Daniel Tuitoek

Aspiring governor Stanley Kiptis threatened not to participate in the primaries if the list is not reviewed.

Lunga Lunga parliamentary aspirant Benson Mwilu protested against the decision by the party to hand MP Khatib Mwashetani a direct ticket.

Separately, a meeting for all Jubilee aspirants in Machakos County was temporarily interrupted after chaos broke out.

Trouble started when Mavoko parliamentary aspirant Kalembe Ndile raised concerns of possibility of rigging.

In Mt Kenya region, fireworks are expected in Kiambu between Governor William Kabogo and Kabete MP Ferdinand Waititu.

Additional reporting by Julius Chepkwony, Patrick Beja and Erastus Mulwa