Lawyer triumphs in repeat primaries for Narok North

Lawyer Kaitikei Rotiken. (Photo: Robert Kiplagat/Standard)

Lawyer Kaitikei Rotiken will fly the Jubilee Party flag for the Narok North parliamentary race after trouncing his rival in a repeat nomination.

Agnes Sailantei Shonko had protested the victory but her petition was dismissed by the Jubilee Party Appeals Tribunal. She went ahead to seek appeal at the Political Parties Tribunal, which ordered a repeat exercise.

Mr Rotiken won by a landslide after garnering 20,499 votes against her main challenger’s paltry 350 votes.

There was confusion over names in the ballot papers but the exercise went on smoothly albeit late.

Rotiken’s supporters who were waiting for the results with bated breath rose to celebrations after Returning Officer Samson Surum declared him the winner.

Rotiken will now face off with the incumbent Moitalel ole Kenta (ODM), Chama Cha Mashinani (CCM) candidate Meitamei Ololodabash and his former rivals Nelson Keshei and Agnes Pareiyo, who deserted the party to run as Independent candidates.

Promised change

Rotiken was part of Deputy President William Ruto’s legal team at the ICC Court in The Hague. The President and Deputy President were facing charges at the international court, which were dropped for lack of evidence.

Mr Rotiken has pledged to bring change and improve residents’ livelihood. He doubled his votes from the previous 11,032 in a neck-and-neck race that witnessed Ms Agnes Pareiyo following tightly with 10,594 and Mr Nelson Keshei’s 4,802.

Ms Shonko was distant fourth in the first primaries with 1,197 votes.