Political parties gear up for Shinyalu, Bomachoge by-elections

Campaigns for the Shinyalu and Bomachoge by-elections are headed for the home stretch and aspirants eyeing the parliamentary seats are engaged in early campaigns in preparation for the tough battle ahead.

The Interim Independent Electoral Commission will conclude voter registration in the two constituencies on Tuesday and hold by-elections on August 27.

Nomination papers

Party candidates will present their nomination papers to the IIEC between August 3 and 5, just before the official campaign period kicks off.

In Shinyalu, four parties have so far picked candidates to battle it out for the seat. The parties include Kaddu, which has settled on former MP Daniel Khamasi, and Narc-K, which picked Patrick Ayisi Ingoi.

Mr Khamasi will be seeking the Shinyalu seat for the third time after losing in the 2007 elections. Mr Khamasi is the only MP to have represented the constituency for two consecutive terms.

The New Vision Party led by former Kerio South MP Nicholas Biwott has cleared Silas Andega to run for the seat. Ford-K has picked Geoffrey Segero who worked for the Kenya Revenue Authority before joining the political fray.

But ODM and PNU camps are still abuzz with activity as the parties grapple with nominations. ODM has nine aspirants in the race for nominations planned for Tuesday.

They are Justus Kizito Mugali, George Murila, George Khasiani and Mrs Zuhura Lugano, the widow of the former MP Charles Lugano, who died in May, Samuel Muhati, lawyer Anthony Lubulela, Anami Lisamula, Ambeyi Ligabo and Austin Lugano, one of Mr Lugano’s sons.

ODM deputy national vice-chairman Alfred Sambu spoke to the aspirants and later said they had agreed to back one of them as the party’s candidate.

Lost out

“ODM has decided to test the popularity of its candidates through party nominations at the grassroots, but we do not want a fallout to happen after some of the candidates lose out in the process,” said Mr Sambu.

The ODM nominations are predicted to be a tricky test for the party especially if the candidate selected does not reflect the wishes of party supporters at the grassroots.

Aspirants seeking the ODM ticket have been trying to outdo each at funerals, bullfights, football matches and other public functions.

Mr Austin Lugano said although he was keen to run on an ODM ticket, he would join another party should he fail to clinch the party’s nomination.

“My father did a lot for the people of Shinyalu and I’m determined to pick up from where he left off, irrespective of the party ticket,” he said.

He said he had already assembled his campaign team and was confident of the youth’s support. In the New Ford-K camp, lawyer Henry Lugulu and Babetuu Amutavi are bracing for the nominations.

In PNU, the battle for nominations will pit the Knut branch secretary Patrick Chungani against Gerishom Machanja who had earlier sought a Narc-K nomination but was locked out after he failed to pay the nomination fee before deadline.