Aspirants fear Jubilee primaries will not be free and fair

Anxiety has gripped Jubilee Party aspirants in the North Rift with some expressing fears that the primaries will not be free and fair despite assurances by the top leadership.

Many aspirants who spoke to the Nation feared that the incumbents will be favoured in the nominations with some even resorting to vie for other elective posts.

President Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto have since assured the aspirants that the party primaries will be free and fair devoid of any machinations.

“Neither I nor the president has any preferred candidates. It will be up to the people to choose their leaders,” Mr Ruto assured aspirants when he hosted them at his Sugoi home in Uasin Gishu during the festive season.

It’s widely believed that Kanu and Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto’s led Chama Cha Mashinani (CCM) stand to gain big in case of a fall out as a result of bungled nominations in Jubilee Party.

“Aspirants at the grassroots have been left in the dark. MPs have been left to run party affairs as if they are the owners. We fear we will be given a raw deal in the party primaries,” said Mr Nicholas Koros, a ward aspirant from Baringo County.

FLAWED NOMINATION

This has also been witnessed in Nandi County where former High Commissioner to Australia Stephen Tarus bolted out of the gubernatorial race over fears of flawed nomination.

Mr Tarus said he will channel his energy and resources on the Chesumei parliamentary seat in his bid to unseat Mr Elijah Lagat.

Outspoken Nandi Hills MP Alfred Keter has also asked the party leadership not to interfere with the nominations. “Let there be no boardroom dealings,” he told President Kenyatta and the DP during their tour of Nandi and Uasin Gishu.

“I will now contest for the Chesumei parliamentary seat on the Jubilee Party ticket in this year’s General Election instead of the gubernatorial seat whose nomination result outcome is already pre-determined,” said Mr Tarus who addressed the press in Eldoret last week.

This leaves the battle for gubernatorial race to the incumbent Cleophas Lagat, Senator Stephen Sang, former Industrialization minister Henry Kosgey and former cabinet secretary for Agriculture Felix Koskei.

RISK LOSING POPULARITY

Mr Tarus has cautioned Jubilee Party to tread carefully on the nomination of its candidates or risk losing popularity in its strong hold in the run up to the general election.

“The Jubilee Party should leave the voters to exercise their democratic right of choosing candidates instead of imposing leaders on the people as that will undermine its quest to win more elective seats across the country,” said Mr Tarus.

Mr Tarus was elected on a Narc party ticket as MP for Emgwen Constituency in 2002 where he served until 2007.

In 2003, President Mwai Kibaki appointed him as an assistant minister for internal security, a post he held until 2004 when he was transferred to the ministry of local government in the same capacity until 2007.

 After he unsuccessfully defended his Emgwen seat in 2007, Tarus was appointed by president Kibaki as Kenya’s high commissioner to Australia.

In 2013, he lost his bid for the gubernatorial seat to the incumbent Dr Lagat before taking a break from active politics.