ODM locked me out of Senate race, says man

By Pamela Chepkemei

Nairobi, Kenya: A politician has sued the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party to recover nomination fees after he was denied a chance to vie for a senator’s seat in the last General Election.

Polycarp Atinga has accused the party leadership of refusing to refund him Sh250,000 after blocking him from contesting during the General Election held on March 4 last year.

He has filed a suit at the High Court in Nairobi seeking the money he paid as nomination fee and compensation for damages.

Dr Atinga said he paid the nomination fee to the National Election Board so that he could contest for the Migori County senate seat but was informed that the position had been reserved for someone else.

“I was shocked to learn that my name was omitted as a contestant despite having paid Sh250,000,” he said.

The party, he added, acted unfairly, unjustly and undemocratically by removing his name.

“As a result of the respondent’s conduct, I have suffered loss, anxiety, and mental torture,” he said.

He accused ODM of acting undemocratically by removing his name without consulting or notifying him.

“By taking my money, they gave me a reasonable expectation that I would be nominated,” he explained.

Atinga wants the court to order ODM to compensate him for the expenses he incurred in preparing for the polls.

He is also asking the court to compensate him for loss of self-esteem and the mental anxiety he has suffered.

Atinga says he has reminded ODM’s election board in writing to refund him his money but it has refused to act.