Aspirants fury over botched Jubilee primaries

Ballot papers for the nomination process

Aspirants in Nakuru County have asked President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto to investigate officials at the party secretariat after the bungled primaries.

The angry aspirants also want new ballot papers printed and distributed in good time in case of a re-scheduled nomination.

Speaking at the JP office in Milimani, the group also wants officials at the party secretariat in Nairobi to take responsibility for the botched nominations.

"We still have faith in our party but we urge President Uhuru and his deputy to investigate officials at the party secretariat because we believe some people have sabotaged the nomination process," said Nakuru Town East MP David Gikaria.

Speaker Susan Kihika who is gunning for the Nakuru senatorial seat, said office holders at the JP headquarters have let down the President and his deputy and must take responsibility for their failures.

Earlier in the morning, there were allegations that some people had hijacked vehicles ferrying the ballot papers from Nairobi and were pre-marking them in favour of certain candidates.

Governorship aspirants Lee Kinyanjui and John Mututho demanded that an updated Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission voter register must be used in the re-scheduled nominations.

"Many people reported to the polling stations early enough to begin the exercise, but were disappointed when they found out that there were no officials, ballot boxes and voting materials," Mr Kinyanjui said.

He said the party Secretary General Raphael Tuju failed to live up to his promise of holding free, fair and credible nominations.

The exercise that was to begin at 6am had not started by noon, forcing aspirants to seek postponement of the nomination.

Mr Mututho said the process was marred with serious anomalies including shortage of ballot papers, lack of transportation and allegations of sabotage.

In the neighbouring Laikipia County, the exercise was called off for lack of enough ballot papers as irate voters held protests. Jubilee primaries in Laikipia East and North constituencies temporarily stopped over rigging claims.

Party primaries in a limbo in Baringo, Bomet and Kericho as aspirants unanimously agree to postpone the exercise due to insufficient ballot materials. [Steve Mkawale and Ken Gachuhi]