We have not issued direct tickets, UDA assures aspirants

United Democratic Alliance (UDA) officials have met over 150 aspirants from Nyeri and assured them of free and fair nominations.

The party's election board chairman Antony Mwaura said UDA has not settled on any individual and all aspirants will be subjected to primaries, which are slated for April 9 to 16.

The aspirants were drawn from Nyeri town, Othaya, Kieni, Mukurweini, Mathira and Tetu constituencies.

“I am the one who will issue the certificates and I don’t remember giving any aspirant a direct ticket. We don’t have sacred cows or preferred candidates as a party. What you are reading and hearing on social media are rumours and propaganda,” Mwaura explained.

He said as long as there are two candidates going for a political seat then nomination was bound to happen.

Governor Mutahi Kahiga also attended the meeting held at the hotel but left before it ended.

Nyeri Town is the most contested seat with six aspirants seeking UDA ticket to unseat MP Ngunjiri Wambugu.

They include lawyer Gacheru Wabandi, Duncan Mathenge, former Nyeri mayor Wanyaga Gathaka, David Kariuki, Esther Ngima, Deborah Wangui and Regina Muthoni.

MPs Rigathi Gachagua (Mathira) and Rahab Mukami (Nyeri) did not attend the meeting but instead sent their apologies.      

“Our agenda has been to unite all Kenyans regardless of where they come from knowing, if we work together Kenya will be land of prosperity,” said Mwaura.

He said the aim of meeting the aspirants was to agree on the grounds rules for the exercise to avoid a situation where some will claim they were rigged out.

“We have agreed on the mode of nomination and the list we are going to use and how we are going to perform the exercise,” Mwaura added.

Nyeri UDA county coordinator William Wahome said a total of 113 aspirants had paid nomination fees for various positions.

Wahome, however, revealed UDA is also exploring the possibility of using negotiated democracy to avert a fall out after the nominations.