Confusion, delays as ODM picks candidates for Nairobi

ODM supporters throng Ziwani Social Hall on April 30, 2017 to take part in the party nominations exercise. PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

There was confusion and delays as Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) kicked off party nominations on Sunday to pick its candidate for Nairobi County.

By as early as 6am, voters had started trooping polling stations across the city but voting was delayed due to late delivery of voting materials while in some centres, there was a mix-up of ballot papers.

At Kilimani Primary School polling centre, voting started at around 8am with queues building up.

long queues at Kilimani Primary School on April 30, 2017 during ODM nomination exercise in Nairobi. PHOTO | EVANS HABIL | NATION MEDIA GROUP

There was drama at the centre after a woman identified as Judith Nafula was driven away in a police vehicle to Kilimani police station after being attacked on allegations of bribing voters to elect Elphas Nganyi who is Vying for Dagoretti North Parliamentary seat.

Consequently, voters complained about a decision by polling clerks to demand proof of voter registration with the IEBC. The clerks also demanded national ID as well as IEBC slips which many do not have.

Ms Judith Nafula who claimed she was attacked by angry voters at Kilimani Primary School on April 30, 2017 on allegations she was bribing voters to elect Elphas Nganyi who is vying for Dagoretti North Parliamentary seat. PHOTO | EVANS HABIL | NATION MEDIA GROUP

Ms Kache Mlanda, aspirant for MCA in Kilimani alleged rigging plans, saying her agents saw stuffed ballot boxes and raised alarm.

"Why should our party not do free and fair nominations. Why should rigging be allowed this way?" she posed.

She said that voters were being turned away for lacking IEBC registration slips when no final IEBC register has been published.

According to her, the Party had earlier said only national IDs will be used as some voters who changed polling stations do not have slips.

Kilimani MCA Moses Ogeto complained of sluggish voter verification and that the voting room was too congested that agents could not even see how people were voting.

Kilimani MCA aspirant Kache Mlanda who on April 30, 2017 alleged rigging plans, saying her agents saw stuffed ballot boxes during ODM nominations for Nairobi County. PHOTO | AGGREY MUTAMBO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

"I am asking our party to get more rooms for voting, maybe split up people based on names to reduce congestion," he said.

He added that the slow pace could turn off voters.

Voting in Starehe, Roysambu and Kasarani started late as confusion marred the exercise there.

In Starehe constituency, there was drama at Ziwani Social Hall after the returning officer ordered two agents for each candidate be allowed inside the polling station leading to protests by party supporters outside the Hall.

They demanded that an observer of ODM be ejected and an agent, Gakuri Mboro, replaces him.

"It was a small confrontation, it was a directive that we only have two agents but the observer refused to leave but now we can start the exercise it has been sorted," said Mr Mboro.

A crowd surrounds a vehicle said to be carrying weapons at Lavington Primary School during the Nairobi ODM primaries on April 30,2017. PHOTO | EVANS HABIL | NATION MEDIA GROUP

By 10am voting had not started at the centre leading to tension as some seemingly intoxicated voters were seen to engage officials demanding that the exercise be opened.

A man wearing a Jubilee Party branded cap casts his vote at Ziwani Social Hall on April 30, 2017 during ODM nominations exercise. PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

Drama started moments after the gates opened with rowdy youths forcing their way into the Hall.

Overwhelmed, police officers locked the gates to allow calm to be restored before allowing only a few to access the polling station at a time.

In Roysambu no activity was taking place by 9am as voting materials had not been delivered and few voters were spotted.

There were no clerks and returning officers at Roysambu Primary despites ballot boxes being delivered.

The presiding officer Rosslyn Osso said that there was no clear communication from the party on how many polling stations would be used as some were cancelled without prior information to the residents.

There were long queues in Embakasi West at Unity and Busara primary schools gates by 9.30 but voting had not started.

Senate aspirant Gabriel Bukachi will also seat pretty as he waits to take on Jubilee’s Johnson Sakaja after he sailed through unopposed.

ODM supporters at Embakasi Primary School in Embakasi East wait on a long line to vote for their candidates on April 30, 2017. PHOTO | OUMA WANZALA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

But it is in Kibra where the incumbent Ken Okoth will be battling it out with former head of Raila Odinga presidential campaign secretariat Eliud Owalo and Mr Martin Okoth that has attracted immense attention.

Kenyans have been following the constituency keenly especially because Ms Rosemary Odinga, the daughter of the opposition presidential candidate Raila Odinga had expressed interest in the seat only to pull out last week due to ill health.

The firebrand Dagoretti North MP Simba Arati will equally be fending off a strong challenge from former councillor Elphas Nganyi and Mr Albert Ekodo.

TITANIC BATTLE

In Lang’ata, a constituency that Jubilee has vowed to win through Mr Nixon Korir, the incumbent Joash Olum is in a titanic battle with seven other aspirants who have  vowed to dislodge him from the seat. Mr Ahmed Papa, Mr Jared Omolo, Mr Musaari Syongoh, Mr Alex Otieno and Ms Violet Okinda are some of the competitors.

Mr Irshad Sumra, the current Embakasi South lawmaker is also hoping to win the party’s ticket against the county Assembly deputy speaker Kennedy Ngondi.

In Embakasi East Mr Babu Owino, the controversial former student leader at the University of Nairobi is battling it out with a host of others such as Mr Francis Wekesa, Mr George Bhutto and Mr Philip Bosire among others.

Former Makadara Reuben Ndolo is also hoping to make a comeback against the ODM county chairman and former city mayor George Aladwa.

Ruaraka’s Tom Kajwang’ may also have it easy after nominated senator Elizabeth Ongoro was stripped of party membership following accusations she orchestrated violence against her opponents.

NOT SCARED

Westlands’ Tim Wanyonyi and Dagoretti South’s Fredrick Oduory Wandera have no opponents.

Meanwhile, Dr Kidero, left, has exuded confidence he will trounce Jubilee’s Mike Sonko in the August 8 General Election.

Dr Kidero, who was speaking at Industrial Area Prison SDA church on Saturday, said he was not scared of the senator and was looking forward to facing him in the August polls.

Mr Sonko defeated his rival Peter Kenneth in the Jubilee primaries on Thursday garnering 138,185 votes against Kenneth’s 62,504 to clinch the ruling party’s ticket.
Dr Kidero called on aspirants in Nairobi to conduct peaceful campaigns.

— Reported by Justus Wanga, Lilian Mutavi, Evans Habil, Aggrey Mutambo, Hillary Kimuyu, Ouma Wanzala.