Jubilee ordered to hold nominations in Kisii tomorrow

The Political Parties Disputes Tribunal on Wednesday ordered Jubilee Party to repeat primaries for the Kisii governor seat and for three parliamentary seats; Kitutu Chache North, Bomachoge Chache and Bonchari.

Four aspiring candidates, Alfred Nyagweso (Governor), Dr Ndemo Bwongera (Kitutu Chache North), Mary Ratemo (Bonchari) and Kennedy Nyamweya (Bomachoge Chache) had petitioned the tribunal for a repeat exercise.

No primaries were held for the said seats as current leaders had been given direct tickets.

Kisii Senator Chris Obure had been given a direct govenorship ticket while the incumbents Zebedeo Opore, Jimmy Angwenyi and Simon Ogari had too been given direct tickets for Bonchari, Bomachoge Chache and Kitutu Chache North parliamentary seats respectively.

The petitioners said that nominations were not done despite having paid nomination fees and also having been assured of free and fair exercise by the party's National Elections Board.

Kisii County party Chairman Sam Nyairo confirmed that the primaries will be held on Friday May 12, adding that election materials have been dispatched from Nairobi and will be arriving in Kisii on Thursday night.

"We want to hold the exercise within the IEBC timelines. Successful candidates wouldn't wish to engage in further court battles," says Mr Nyairo.

He said that County Elections Board members were called for a crisis meeting as they were yet to agree on the venues to be used as polling stations.

"We are aware that schools are on session and we must quickly find an alternative. We are thinking of using church premises," he says.

He rules out the possibility of holding the exercise during the weekend saying most Kisii residents spend the two days in church.

Senator Chris Obure who is participating in the party primaries for the governor's seat has been forced to postpone his brother's burial that was slated for Friday.

An aide to the Senator says that the burial has been postponed to allow the primaries to be held within the election's body timeframe.

IEBC has set Monday 14, 2017 as the deadline for parties to submit names of all aspirants.