Confusion as two ODM nominees claim validity of their candidature

Nyando parliamentary candidate Jared Okello (right) and his Muhoroni counterpart Joshua Koyoo addressing their supporters at Ahero market in Kisumu county on May 19 2017 during their homecoming ceremony. The two were issued with ODM certificates to run for the respective parliamentary seats in August general elections. PIC BY COLLINS ODUOR

Violence broke out in Muhoroni when it emerged that the name of Muhoroni MP  Onyango K’Oyoo was not in the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) list despite being issued with the party’s certificate.

His supporters said when they checked the Commission’s website, the name that was there was that of Ayiecho Olweny. But in April ODM declared that K’Oyoo has won the party’s nominations with more than 18,000 votes. His main challenger Ayiecho Olweny got 6,648 votes.

Barricaded the road

So it came as a shock when they realised that K’Oyoo’s name had been replaced  with that of Olweny.

There were various claims as to who might have been behind this mischief.

Yesterday hundreds of  K’Oyoo’s supporters, lit twigs and blocked roads to protest this rude turn of events. Mr K’Oyoo said he was shocked.

“The judgement which we were waiting for has directed that the party re-tallies the votes and declare the winner, which I am waiting for. I don’t know how my opponent’s name got to the list before even the judgement was delivered,” said K’Oyoo.

But in a quick rejoinder, Prof Ayieko said  he was the rightful winner. “The court ordered ODM to give me the certificate because I was the winner,” said Olweny.

There was also confusion in Kisumu after it was discovered that names expected were missing in the list.

The Saturday Standard sought to seek clarification on the confusion from the ODM Elections board chair Chair Judy Pareno but she could not be reached on phone.

Nyakach, Muhoroni and Kisumu East Constituencies are also affected, with the names which had already been presented to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) changed.

In Kisumu East, Nicholas Oricho’s name had been presented to the commission as the party nominee. The name was present on the list on the IEBC website up to Wednesday.

However on Thursday, Oricho’s name was replaced with that of Obondo Oselu who claimed he had received a call from the commission to present his documents on June 1.

“I have already picked the nomination forms and will be presenting my documents as spelt out in the law,” said Oselu. Oricho insisted that he had the nomination certificate and was preparing to present his documents to the IEBC for nomination.

“I have my certificate and I have not received any contrary information from the party. If you have any question concerning any changes then call the party’s Elections Board,” said Oricho.

There was also confusion in Nyakach, with two aspirants claiming that they are the valid party nominees.

Tension

Both incumbent Aduma Owuor and former area MP Ochieng Daima attended the IEBC  briefing at the commission’s offices in Pap Onditi on Tuesday, with each claiming that they were the ODM nominees. The move created tension at the meeting venue as both aspirants had been escorted with their supporters forcing the area Returning Officer John Jobando to intervene. He allowed both aspirants to attend the meeting to calm their supporters.

And after the meeting, Aduma said: “I think Mr Daima attended the meeting because the commission officials had made it open to the public. I do not think he attended as the nominee, because my nomination is known all over.”

Daima also claimed that he got communication from the party headquarters to attend the meeting as the valid nominee, and that he had already collected forms from IEBC to process his nomination.

“The meeting was held for IEBC to brief aspirants, and I could not have attended if I was not an aspirant. I am already filling my forms and will be returning them on June 1, as stipulated by law,” said Daima.

Even though the party nominees’ list in the IEBC website bore Aduma’s name as the nominee for Nyakach Constituency, Jobando said that was an interim document which the party still had power to effect changes.

“We will be nominating the candidates on June 1 and 2, hence for now it is the parties that can clarify on who their nominee is. We hope they will sort out the matter before the nomination date,” said Jobando.

Yesterday the supporters of the two candidates took their battles to social media to rally support for their favourite candidate.

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