Jubilee leaders extend olive branch to Nasa supporters

Bungoma Jubilee MPs from left Mwambu Mabonga (Bumula), John Waluke (Sirisia) and Dan Wanyama (Webuye West) address the press on October 28, 2017 at Countryside Hotel in Bungoma town. PHOTO | TITUS OTEBA | NATION MEDIA GROUP.

What you need to know:

  • In Turkana county, Jubilee leaders praised their Nasa counterparts for ensuring that their supporters maintained peace during the elections.

  • In Makueni County, Jubilee leaders said they were impressed by the performance of their candidate in the Thursday poll.

  • Jubilee leaders from western Kenya on their part blamed the opposition for the violence in Bungoma, accusing Nasa principals of inciting youth to violence in what they termed a systematic plan to bring about post-election violence.

Jubilee Party leaders across the country were on Saturday celebrating President Uhuru Kenyatta’s imminent re-election even as they accused opposition supporters of intimidating voters not to exercise their democratic right to vote.

The leaders also extended an olive branch to the National Super Alliance (Nasa) supporters.

In Turkana county, Jubilee leaders praised their Nasa counterparts for ensuring that their supporters maintained peace during the elections.

The repeat elections were held in all polling stations except four in the county on Thursday without any major incident being reported.

Elections in the four stations were rescheduled to Friday following heavy rains that made delivery of polling materials impossible.

NO INCIDENT

Led by Turkana Woman Representative Joyce Emanikor, the leaders said there was no incident of election violence witnessed in the county despite the pastoralist region having huge support for both Jubilee Party and Nasa.

“I thank Nasa leaders led by Governor Josephat Nanok who vowed not to have their supporters protesting or interfering with the voting process. I am happy that during Mashujaa Day celebrations, they advised their supporters to stay at home,” she said.

In Lodwar town, business and transport activities were not interrupted and everything was back to normal by Friday.

Turkana Central Constituency Returning Officer Bernard Mutali said the main challenge they had was transport of election officials from Lodwar to five polling stations in Kerio Delta Ward that were cut off by flash floods.

Nasa leaders in Turkana had said that there would be no demonstration in Lodwar fearing huge losses from looters who would have capitalised on the demonstrations.

MAKUENI COUNTY

“I don’t agree with Nasa presidential candidate on demonstrations. Don’t protest. Just sit at home. If we demonstrate police will shoot you and we will destroy the few investments we have in our growing town of Lodwar,” Turkana Central MP John Lodepe had told Nasa supporters on Mashujaa Day.

In Makueni County, Jubilee leaders said they were impressed by the performance of their candidate in the Thursday poll.

Led by former Kaiti MP Gideon Ndambuki, the leaders celebrated the fact that voters in the area defied a call to boycott the poll by the opposition.

Official results from the six constituencies show that President Kenyatta bagged 18,936 votes, some 8,488 votes less than the 27,424 votes that he got in August.

Kibwezi East Constituency posted the highest number of people who elected President Kenyatta at 3,615 votes, a feat former Makueni Assembly Speaker Stephen Ngelu attributed to the region’s history with Jubilee. 

BUNGOMA VIOLENCE

He said that more people would have voted were it not for fear of reprisals from Nasa supporters in the region.

Jubilee leaders from western Kenya on their part blamed the opposition for the violence in Bungoma, accusing Nasa principals of inciting youth to violence in what they termed a systematic plan to bring about post-election violence.

One man was killed on Friday when police confronted youths who barricaded the Bungoma-Mumias road to protest Thursday’s poll.

Speaking at a press conference in Nairobi on Saturday, Water Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa said violence was planned by Nasa leaders who felt disgruntled that voting had taken place.

“Bungoma was calm and people voted peacefully until Senator Moses Wetang’ula brought in rowdy youths who clashed with the police, leading to death and damage to property. Nasa must stop using young people for its own selfish gains,” he said. He was flanked by presidential candidate Cyrus Jirongo, former minister Musikari Kombo and former Westlands MP Fred Gumo.

STATEMENTS

In Bungoma, Jubilee MPs gave similar statements, asking Mr Wetang’ula and other opposition leaders in the county to stop inciting youths.

“We can’t allow a few leaders to fund youths to cause unrest in the county; Bungoma is a peaceful region and opposition leaders should not use youths to intimidate peace-loving Kenyans,” said Sirisia MP John Waluke.

Webuye West MP Dan Wanyama said the youths had been given money to block roads in Bungoma.

“You can’t fund a few boys from the slums to prove a point; fund them to engage in meaningful business ventures. Any violence will be met with the full force of the law,” said Mr Wanyama.

On Friday, Mr Wetang’ula led hundreds of Nasa supporters in the town in condemning the police, saying it was everyone’s constitutional right to picket.

Elsewhere, Jubilee leaders hailed President Uhuru Kenyatta’s election victory, saying that the country can now move forward after months of a political standoff.

 

By Jacqueline Kubania, Gakuu Mathenge, Pius Maundu and Sammy Lutta