Kisii leaders dispute opinion poll results

South Mugirango MP and Kisii governorship candidate Manson Nyamweya addressing Nyaribari Chache residents at Kenya National Congress party offices in Kisii town on March 6, 2017. He called upon the residents to support him in the coming elections. PHOTO | BENSON MOMANYI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Mr Nyamweya and Woman rep candidate Norah Nyamwamu said the polling was an abuse to democracy.
  • The survey was financed and conducted by the pollster using household face to face Computer Assisted Personal Interviews.

Kenya National Congress candidates in Kisii County have dismissed opinion polls done by Infotrak Research and Consulting, saying they were concocted.

They also said the results are meant to portray a false sense of popularity for some politicians.

"We are shocked by this result that places Mr Ongwae as the frontrunner.

"We all know his performance in the county is wanting and going by the real situation on the ground, his ratings are dismal," Mr Nyamweya said.

FALSE
The polling placed Kisii Governor James Ongwae (ODM), Prof Sam Ongeri (ODM) and Ms Dorice Aburi (Jubilee) as the frontrunners in the quest for the governorship, senatorial, and woman rep positions respectively.

Mr Nyamweya and Woman rep candidate Norah Nyamwamu said the polling was an abuse to democracy.

RESULTS

The polls indicated that ODM candidate has a commanding lead of 60.1 per cent while his Jubilee rival Chris Obure follows adrift with 16.9 per cent.

Mr Nyamweya has a 9.6 per cent support while Mr Lumumba Nyaberi (Wiper), who came second in the 2013 elections, has 5.8 per cent.

POPULARITY

Mr Nyamweya claimed that the results had been doctored and the research may have been done in Kisii town, "only where Mr Ongwae enjoys popularity".

"We need the pollsters to conduct their research in the villages. Mr Ongwae does not command support in any of the nine constituencies of the county," the South Mugirango MP said.

CANDIDATES
In the 2013 elections, Mr Ongwae got 230,181 votes against Mr Nyaberi's 63,752 votes.

Other candidates fighting for the Kisii governorship seat are: Charles Bagwasi (CMD), Kepha Mogeni (PPK), Samwel Nyamao (Independent) and Boniface Ombooto (MCCP).

WOMAN REP RACE
Ms Nyamwamu, who was rated at position four with 2.2 per cent, said they have traversed the county and "they know the facts".

"This is something that somebody just sat in his office came up with and published for the sake of giving some people mileage," she said.

Ms Nyamwamu refuted the popularity of former radio journalist Ms Aburi who took a commanding lead of 51.9 per cent.

RESPONDENTS

The survey was financed and conducted by the pollster using household face to face Computer Assisted Personal Interviews.

A sample of 1,350 respondents, out of more than 500,000 registered voters, were interviewed.

The research covered all the nine constituencies and 45 wards.