Nyanza Governors say no elections in October

Siaya County governor Cornel Rasanga during an interview at his office. [Photo:COLLINS ODUOR]

Governors from Kisumu, Siaya, Homa Bay and Migori have declared no elections will be held in their counties on October 26.

The four, Anyang' Nyong'o (Kisumu), Okoth Obado (Migori), Cornel Rasanga (Siaya) and Cyprian Awiti (Homa Bay) told the electoral commission to stop wasting time training election officials to preside over the repeat presidential poll.

The standoff comes as the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) prepares to conduct the poll as ordered by the Supreme Court.

Mr. Rasanga was the first to make the declaration, vowing nobody would be allowed to vote on his turf on October 26.

Wednesday, Prof Nyong'o joined in, saying no election material or person would be allowed into polling stations in the county's seven sub-counties.

"We cannot agree to take part in an exercise of futility being held without putting in place the actual electoral reforms that took us to court," he said.

Nyong'o said his county had resolved to pull out of the poll until credible electoral reforms were in place.

Fresh election

"The Supreme Court gave the ruling that a fresh election should be carried out in 60 days with very clear specifications that certain principles and values must be in place with respect to the law," he said.

Wednesday, Kisumu Senator Fred Outa and former Deputy Governor Ruth Odinga disrupted the training of election officials in Kisumu.

In Migori, Governor Obado declared there would be no election in the county as Jubilee Party leaders in the region announced that the poll was on.

Jubilee co-ordinator Mwita Nyangi said the region would vote.

"We have prepared to go for the election on October 26 whether Obado likes it or not," said Mr Nyangi.

Two MPs, Mathias Robi (Kuria West) and Maisroi Ketayama (Kuria East), were elected on Jubilee tickets.