Fresh UDA nominations for disputed areas in Nakuru

Supporters of Biashara ward UDA aspirant Fadhili Msuri protest outside Nakuru Jamia Mosque on April 17, 2022, after the UDA Party, announced a repeat nomination scheduled for April 19. Fadhili had been declared the winner and was issued a nomination certificate. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

 

The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Party has announced plans to conduct fresh nominations in select areas across the country where aspirants have disputed the process and results.

In Nakuru County, the party is set to repeat the process for the elective positions - Rongai parliamentary seat and the Biashara Ward in Nakuru Town East seat.

“The National Elections Board (NEB) has resolved to repeat the nomination process in areas that require to be carried out on Tuesday, April 19, 2022,” UDA said in a statement.

Nominations for the two positions will be conducted on the same day as those for Nakuru Town West parliamentary post which was postponed over suspected external interference.

Results of the UDA nominations in the Rongai constituency had Paul Chebor, a former Solai ward representative as the winner of the parliamentary ticket.

In the disputed results, Chebor had 8,428 votes while his closest challenger Raymond Komen garnered 7,973 votes, a difference of 455 votes.

The other three other candidates managed below 500 votes.

Komen rejected the results alleging that there was fraud and stuffing of ballot boxes and alteration of figures on forms signed by his agents.

“These results are fraudulent and there is no way we can accept these results,” Komen protested at Kirobon Secondary, the constituency’s tallying centre last Friday night before storming out.

Chebor who has already been handed the party’s certificate however maintained that he won fairly.

“I am glad that the people of Rongai have given me the opportunity to be their UDA candidate in the August polls. Despite the challenges, the nomination process was largely successful,” said Chebor.

In Biashara Ward, Fadhili Msuri emerged the winner amid protests by his competitors including current ward rep Stephen Njoroge, former area ward rep Stephen Kuria and Hezron Manyara.

The nomination losers protested that Msuri had interfered with the process of recruiting presiding officers and polling clerks.

“All the nominations officials hail from the same area as Msuri. We believe they are compromised and demand that they be swapped with those in a different area,” said Manyara. 

Their demands were however not met forcing the three to mobilise their supporters to storm out of polling stations in the ward.