ODM primaries in parts of Nakuru suspended over missing names

Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) primaries in Nakuru Town West constituency and Olkaria Ward in Naivasha in Nakuru County have been suspended following irregularities that were discovered earlier Tuesday morning just as the nominations kicked off.

A new date for the primaries will be announced, according to the ODM county chairman Peter ole Osono.

But the polls went on in Nakuru Town East constituency until in the afternoon, when they were halted following claims of irregularities and missing names.

The primaries were halted after some aspirants found their names missing from the ballot papers.

The county party officials immediately convened a meeting with aspirants following protests over the missing names and it was decided that the nominations be suspended to a later date.

Agents scrutinising ballot papers at Heshima and Kaptembwa primary schools polling centres discovered the names of two aspirants – Eric Otieno Ogada and Jacob Luka Ogetii – were missing, resulting in a standoff. The two are eyeing the Nakuru Town West parliamentary seat

Flanked by his supporters, Mr Ogada staged a protest at the constituency party offices over the omission of his name from the ballot papers.

ACCUSING FINGER

The aspirants, who addressed journalists at the Nakuru West ODM offices, accused incumbent MP Samuel Arama, who decamped to Jubilee Party, of colluding with their opponents to bar them from participating in the exercise in favour of a weak ODM candidate whom he can easily beat in the August polls.

"No nominations will be held if the missing names are not included. We call upon the ODM elections board to halt the exercise until the anomalies are rectified," said Mr Ogada, who was accompanied by Mr Ogetii.

Mr Ogetii also called for the immediate suspension of the nominations, accusing Mr Arama of interfering with the primaries.

IRREGULARITIES

In Naivasha, nominations for the Olkaria Ward seat were halted after some of the aspirants disrupted the process, citing irregularities.

One aspirant, David Kilo, was arrested over the disruption and locked up at the Kongoni Police Station.

Addressing journalists at the party’s offices, Mr Osono said he was consulting the party headquarters at Orange House in Nairobi on the next course of action after the suspension of the nominations.

"We all need fair, free and transparent nominations. To attain that, all the candidates’ names must be on the ballot paper," he said.

The confusion left stranded voters who had turned up at the various polling centres as early as 6am.

The following is the list of various ODM aspirants in Nakuru:

Woman Rep

1. Beatrice Pacifica Onsongo

2. Asha Rashid Kurwa

Nakuru Town West Constituency

1. Philip Chibole Ndeta

2. James Machuka Michoma

3. Peter Kiplangat Koros

4. Eric Otieno Ogada

5. Alfred Kwonyike Kaptum

6. Hezron Okiki Othoo

7. Ochoki Andrew Osoe

8. Jacob Ogetii Luka

Nakuru Town East Constituency

1. Rose Nyakiba

2. Issa Samuel Okello

Kivumbini Ward

1. Neto Sakwa

2. Vitalis Okelo (Incumbent)

3. Risper Atieno

4. Rose Lai

5. Wilbur Onyango

6. Samuel Oyaro