Nasa parties give more direct tickets than nominations

Aspirants’ agents and voters argue after a group entered a polling station without the consent of observers during ODM nominations at Muliro Garden in Kakamega County. (Duncan Ocholla/Standard)

Except for Raila Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), NASA’s affiliate parties are giving more direct tickets than those to be contested at nominations.

For all its might, Kalonzo Musyoka’s Wiper Democratic Movement is only conducting gubernatorial nominations in Kitui and Machakos and Senatorial contests in three counties — Kitui, Mombasa and Wajir.

In Kitui, Wiper has pushed the battle of titans between party chairman David Musila and Governor Julius Malombe to the last possible date — April 24.

In Machakos, former assistant minister Wavinya Ndeti is scheduled to compete against Deputy Governor Bernard Kiala and MP Peter Mathuki this coming Friday. Wavinya has since settled on Mathuki for deputy governor.

In the Senate contests, former editor Enoch Wambua is slated to battle it out with Paul Mutisya in Kitui on April 24, while in Mombasa, Lawrence Kisilu and Jabess Oduor will slug it out on Tuesday.

From the list, it looks like most of the sitting Wiper MPs, senators and officials have secured themselves direct party tickets. The only sitting Ukambani Wiper MP who has been exposed to nominations, according to the list, is Machakos Woman Representative Dr Susan Musyoka.

Bigwigs

She will be dueling with newcomer Joyce Kamene on Friday. Besides Musila, the only other Wiper senator to battle out for the party ticket is Nominated Senator Judith Sijeny for Lang’ata parliamentary seat.

Wiper bigwigs presumed to have secured direct tickets include Governor Kivutha Kibwana, Senators Johnstone Muthama, Mutula Kilonzo Jnr, Hassan Omar, MPs Robert Mbui, Patrick Makau, Stephen Mule, Makali Muli, Jessica Mbalu, Francis Nyenze and Daniel Maanzo, among others.

The Kitui woman representative race is an open contest between three candidates seeking Wiper ticket following retirement of Nyiva Mwendwa. They are Janet Kimuyu, Irene Kasalu and Florence Musyoka.

In contrast, Wiper’s coalition partner ODM is conducting nominations in almost all but few electoral areas in the country. In the governor contest, only 13 “neutral” counties — Jubilee strongholds excluded — will not experience the ODM nomination thrill, Nairobi included.

Anne Anyanga appears to be the only woman ODM governor aspirant who will participate in the nominations in Migori. Jubilee has several, including Bishop Margaret Wanjiru, Joyce Laboso, Cecily Mbarire and Anne Waiguru.

For ODM, the only places that will not experience senatorial contests is Tana River, Lamu, Garissa, Wajir, Mandera, Marsabit, Trans Nzoia, Uasin Gishu, Baringo, Nakuru, Kericho, Bomet, Vihiga, Bungoma, Busia, Kisii and Nyamira.

In these places, as well as in Nairobi where Gabriel Bhukachi is vying, the aspirants have not attracted competition.

Musalia Mudavadi’s Amani National Congress (ANC) is not conducting any nomination for governor and senator in Nairobi and Mombasa counties. It will also not conduct any nominations for MPs and women representatives in Nairobi County.

Moses Wetang'ula’s Ford Kenya will conduct only one governor contest in Trans Nzoia between Andrew Kibaba, Catherine Mukite, Henry Ndiema and David Kinisu. Peter Munya’s Party of National Unity (PNU) is conducting governor nominations in only once county — Embu. The battle is between former PS Cyrus Njiru and Kithinji Kiragu.

Only one nomination

Alfred Mutua’s Maendeleo Chap Chap will also hold only one nominations in Kiambu between James Njuguna and Gakuru Kanyanja.

Isaac Ruto’s Chama Cha Mashinani will conduct one governor contest on Wednesday between its party leader and Alvin Mutai for Bomet County. All its contests are confined to Bomet, Kericho, Kisii and Nyamira counties.

Charity Ngilu’s Narc has confined nomination contests strictly in her Kitui backyard, according to the list presented to the electoral commission.

The Jubilee Party has not given any aspirant a direct ticket, but there are some counties where the aspirants have no competition, especially in NASA strongholds. The JP governor aspirants who have no competition from within the party include Suleiman Shahbal (Mombasa) and Gideon Mung’aro (Kilifi).

In total, JP has presented 8,012 aspirants to the electoral agency for nominations. Deputy President William Ruto’s strongholds of Nandi and Uasin Gishu top the country in producing the most Jubilee governor aspirants.

According to the list of aspirants presented to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), the two counties, alongside Nyandarua, are the most competitive for the plum county jobs.

In the MP’s race, Turbo in Uasin Gishu has a record 18 aspirants, Bomet East 15, while Molo has 13. Roysambu has 12, Sigowet/Soin 11 and Keiyo South 12. In a number of places in Central and Rift Valley Jubilee hotbeds, as many as 20 aspirants will battle out for a single MCA ticket.