Nandi women clinch more County seats, set to lower nomination ration

Kapsabet ward MCA Fred Kipkemboi PHOTO:COURTESY

 

This is good news for the county assembly as having more women elected will lower the wage bill through fewer nominations to meet two-thirds gender rule.

Four female candidates for Member of County Assembly position floored their male competitors.

JP is quite popular in the region and those who have clinched the party's ticket have high chances of being elected in the August elections.

Those elected in the county's 30 wards include journalist Nancy Chemutai (Kobujoi), Milka Chumba (Kipkaren), Rael Rotich (Kapsimotwo) and Jostline Jepnyango (Songhor).

In the 2013 elections, all seats were captured by men, forcing the assembly to nominate 16 women to meet the two-thirds gender rule.

The Jubilee nominations also saw only five incumbent MCAs clinch tickets to defend their seats. The primaries also brought on board more youthful leaders.

County Deputy Speaker Wilson Sang was among the five who managed to clinch the ticket. He said election of more women would lower the wage bill and enable the legislative body concentrate more on service delivery.

"We welcome the nomination of more women in leadership. We expect the ratio of nomination to reduce if they will be elected in the August General Election and this will reduce the budget on salaries," said Mr Sang.

The MCAs who secured JP tickets ahead of the August polls include Martin Douglas (Chemase), Fred Kipkemboi (Kapsabet), Pius Murei (Kurgung) and Charles Jacob Maiyo (Kemeloi/Maraba).

Ms Chemutai said poor service delivery by the previous administration in her rural home in Kobujoi prompted her to seek an elective post to help address the challenges.