DP William Ruto stamps his authority in Rift Valley as Jubilee carries the day in Kericho by-election

After more than a month of bruising campaigns for the Kericho senatorial seat, Jubilee Alliance Party (JAP) was headed for victory.

Despite a spirited opposition from a resurgent Kanu, the victory confirms Deputy President William Ruto’s clout as the region’s powerhouse.

By the time of going to press, provisional results from 578 polling stations out of the total 623, showed

Aaron Cheruiyot of JAP with 100,629 votes and Kanu’s Paul Sang with 52,502.

An elderly woman is assisted by IEBC officials to confirm her registration at Kamanamsim primary school in Bureti Constituency on 07-03-2015. (PHOTO: BONIFACE THUKU/ STANDARD)

What was supposed to have been an easy pick for the party to replace Charles Keter, who was appointed

to the Cabinet, quickly turned into a supremacy battle pitting Ruto against Kanu Chairman Gideon Moi.

Although there were six contestants for the Senate seat, the contest was reduced to a battle between Cheruiyot and Sang, a former Health Minister.

The fierce political battle was fought on land and in the skies. The airspace in nearly all the villages in the county was rattled by about nine helicopters, which dropped and picked key politicians from Kanu and Jubilee as they raced against time to take their messages to every corner of Kericho.

In what has become one of the costliest campaigns in recent times, the Deputy President had at his disposal five helicopters, which criss-crossed the county to ferry Cheruiyot’s campaign team to rallies. Kanu too, whose campaigns were spearheaded by Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto, deployed three to four helicopters to campaign.

On the ground, each side was represented by heavyweights who raced all over Kericho in powerful top-of-the-range vehicles in a bid to win as many votes as possible.

The battle between Jubilee and Kanu was so intense that at times the candidates contesting for the senatorial seat were forgotten as the two sides traded accusations.

It was a campaign period full of drama, which turned out to be a test on whether DP Ruto was in control of Rift Valley with his rivals using the  opportunity to accuse the Jubilee administration of failing to fulfil its 2013 General Election promises.

Low turnout

Leading the onslaught against Jubilee, was Governor Ruto and seven MPs and senators from Kanu and URP.

The Deputy President fended off these attacks, assisted by National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale and ten MPs, senators and governors.

The polling yesterday was characterised by a low turnout in all the 623 polling stations in the early hours and claims of voter bribery and intimidation of party agents.

IEBC County Returning Officer Moses Sunkuli expressed concern over the low voter turn-out, saying by 2pm only 30 per cent of registered voters had voted.

“I am surprised by the low voter turn-out. We had anticipated a 70 per cent voter turn-out but the voting exercise has been slow. The IEBC commissioners have been on local radio stations to mobilise the voters,”

The county has 290,947 registered voters spread across the six constituencies of Bureti, Ainamoi, Belgut, Kipkelion East, Kipkelion West and Soin/Sigowet.

Sang, the Kanu candidate, voted at Kamanamsim Primary School in Bureti constituency while Cheruiyot cast his ballot at Kamaso polling station in Belgut constituency.

Sang decried the low turn-out and called on Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to ensure that the elections were free and fair.

He expressed fears of rigging citing incidences where his agents were barred from entering ten polling stations in Belgut and Kipkelion East constituencies.

“The voting exercise has been peaceful though there have been hitches in some polling stations where our agents have been barred in Belgut and Soin-Sigowet constituencies,” Sang said.

He said agents had been barred from Soisot Social hall, Cheboror Tea buying centre, Keben, Teldet primary, Chepkoin and Cheimen Social hall, among other polling stations.

He also noted that some voters who voted in 2013 General Election found their names missing from the voters’ register.

He said six voters at Kabartegan polling station were turned away and several similar cases had been reported in Belgut Constituency.

Sang said it was wrong for Jubilee to use civil servants to campaign for its candidate.

“Every resident is aware the Government has deployed civil servants and government resources in an attempt to intimidate voters. We demand a free and fair election,” Sang added.

In polling centres in Ainamoi Constituency, there was low turnout at Highlands Primary School and St Patricks polling centre with polling stations opened at 6am.

Residents who turned up to vote in various polling stations had an easy time. “I am happy with the way IEBC has conducted the exercise so far. Though there is a low turnout the exercise has been free and fair,” said Julius Rotich, a resident, after he voted at Kiptenden in Bureti Constituency.

Some residents were however shocked after they found their names missing from the voters register. The incidences which were reported in Belgut and Bureti constituencies alarmed Sang.

“We demand an explanation from IEBC why some voters especially in polling stations with high number of voters in Belgut could not find their names,” Sang said.

Sunkuli said the commission was looking into the claims but allayed fears that the register had been tampered with.

“We think the allegations came from people who had never registered before as voters. The same voters’ register used in 2013 General Election has not been altered,” Sunkuli said.