73 Tetu Jubilee presiding officers sacked over rigging claims

The Jubilee Party Election Board in Nyeri County has sacked 73 presiding officers from Tetu constituency for poll malpractices.

This followed a controversial secret meeting with some aspirants at the Aberdare Country Club in the county, on Tuesday night.

Board chairman George Kibera made the announcement Wednesday night, saying the party had resolved to do an overhaul in the constituency to ensure fairness ahead of Friday’s nominations.

“The board has decided to dismiss all the presiding officers in Tetu because there was evidence of malpractice,” said Mr Kibera.

However, no action would be taken against the politicians involved, as the mandate to do that lay with the party headquarters, said regional party coordinator Dr Hudson Aluvanze.

PRESIDING OFFICERS

On Tuesday night, aspirants stormed the exclusive members club after word went round that MPs were hosting the county presiding officers for dinner with plans to pre-mark ballot boxes.

The officials abandoned their food as they scampered for safety, covering their faces from cameras.

Yesterday, aspirants in Mt Kenya region were engaged in running battles as they accused each other of bribing presiding officers.

The aspirants in Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Murang’a, Laikipia and Isiolo accused party officials of laying the ground work for rigging.

Governor aspirant Cocorico Kinyanjui said the party’s electoral officials had been bribed to rig the primaries in favour of some incumbents.

COMPROMISING OFFICERS

“These guys had documents that they were going through and putting in some figures. We believe this was the first step in compromising the officers,” said Mr Kinyanjui.

In Kirinyaga, angry aspirants confronted members of the Kirinyaga County Election Board demanding to know the names of returning and presiding officers or else they boycott nominations.

Supporters of Isiolo senator Mohammed Kuti asked the party secretariat to disband or transfer the County Election Board over claims of bias.

But board chairman Abduba Sama said the claims of rigging were politically-motivated, pledging that the board will deliver credible nominations.

FEAR OF RIGGING

Aspirants in Tharaka-Nithi County have also expressed fear of rigging and want the party headquarters to address their concerns.

Gubernatorial aspirant Petkay Miriti said most of the poll officials were known supporters of his opponent Chuka/Igambang’ombe MP Muthomi Njuki and demanded a reshuffle.

In response, Jubilee Party spokesperson Elijah Memusi assured the aspirants that election officials all over the country would be reshuffled to guard against mischief.

He said presiding officers did not know where they will be posted on the day of nominations.