ODM repeat nominations in Mombasa set for Saturday
Changamwe MP Omar Mwinyi arrives at Bomu Primary School on April 22, 2017 during the ODM party primaries. The primaries for the region will be repeated. PHOTO | LABAN WALLOGA | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- The repeat nominations were to be conducted in Changamwe, Kisauni and Jomvu constituencies.
- Ms Sadaf Deen — who is contesting for the Woman Rep seat — complained over using of her resources only to learn that the nominations had been put off.
ODM aspirants and their supporters protested today after the party’s repeat nominations were called off yet again and rescheduled for tomorrow.
The repeat nominations were to be conducted in Changamwe, Kisauni and Jomvu constituencies.
Senatorial and Woman Rep aspirants complained over missing ballot papers as voters who had camped at various polling stations expressed disappointment when they learnt that they would not be voting.
RESOURCES WASTED
Mombasa Senate seat aspirant Hamisi Mwaguya claimed there was “a fishy deal” on which he blamed the delay.
“For how long are we going to wait to have the exercise conducted?
"We took our voters to various stations to vote but the senatorial ballot papers were not there,” he told journalists at Kisauni Baptist Primary School.
“Then we were told that the exercise has been called off.”
Another aspirant, Ms Sadaf Deen — who is contesting for the Woman Rep seat — complained over using of her resources only to learn that the nominations had been put off.
VOTERS DISAPPOINTED
She accused the party’s election board of not being organised.
“I have personally spent Sh4.2 million doing my campaigns for the nominations. But we have been waiting for almost a week for the repeat and the exercise ends up being postponed.
"This is very disappointing because I also learnt that our ballot papers were not there,” she said.
Only MCA aspirants’ ballot papers were available at various polling stations.
“We woke up early morning to cast our votes only to be told that the exercise has been called off.
"Why are we being subjected to this? We have our rights as voters and we will not allow to be taken back, centre and forward. There should be a clear communication on this matter,” Mr Samson Omondi, a voter in Changamwe, said.
MIX-UP OF NAMES
They will now be held Sunday, according to a press release by the party’s Director of Communication, Mr Philip Etale.
He said a problem had been detected on ballot papers for 19 polling stations.
“There is a mix-up in the names on the ballot papers hence the calling off of the exercise. The National Elections Board (NEB) regrets the inconvenience caused,” he said.
