Ballot confusion mars JP Narok repeat primaries

Nyeri gubernatorial candidate Wahome Gakuru with other Jubilee Party nomination winners a¬ er they were issued with certi cates at the Nyeri National Polytechnic. (Photo: Kibata Kihu/Standard)

A repeat of Jubilee Party nominations for Narok North parliamentary seat started late Friday amid confusion over the names on the ballot papers.

Supporters of aspirant Agnes Shonko, who had challenged the nomination of lawyer Kaitikei Rotiken prompting a repeat of the exercise, complained that names of those who resigned from Jubilee to run as independents were still on the ballot papers.

Resigned

Nelson Keshei and Agnes Pareiyo resigned from the party after Rotiken was declared the winner.

Yesterday, Shonko’s supporters threatened to boycott the repeat primaries, claiming they would not be free and fair.

“The way things are being conducted, we are likely to see a repeat of what happened last time. There might not be a free and fair nomination,” said Shonko.

Rotiken, however, rubbished the claims, saying it is a sign that his opponent was already afraid of losing.

“I was planning to appeal the ruling on the repeat of the exercise, but since the deadline for submission of names to IEBC was near and the ruling was that the exercise be done within 48 hours, I chose to respect the law,” said Rotiken.

He asked his supporters to remain calm, saying he is confident of winning. He said, however, he was disappointed over the delay of the exercise.

In the last nomination, Shonko emerged forth but she challenged the results at the political Parties Tribunal, which ordered that the exercise be repeated within 48 hours.

Mr Rotiken was declared the winner with 11,032 votes, follow4ed closely by Ms Pareiyo with 10,594, while Keshei got 4,802 as Shonko managed 1,197 votes.

Shonko’s campaign manager Sam Mobea said the party had promised new ballot papers with only two names.

Jubilee Regional Nominations Coordinator Abraham Limo said the nomination would be free and fair.

He said the party was unable to remove the four names from the ballot papers due to the short notice following the tribunal’s order.