Vote buying claims fly in senate race
Moses Wetang'ula (center), of the Coalition of Orange Democratic (CORD) movement and candidate for the Bungoma senate seat, talks to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Vice Chairperson Mahiri Zaja at their offices. CORD on December 19, 2013 lodged complaints with the polls agency accusing its rival Amani coalition of voter bribery in the Bungoma senate by-election. PHOTO | JARED NYATAYA
What you need to know:
- Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale said there had been widespread bribery by agents affiliated to Amani and that some of them had been arrested
- Apart from network hitches experienced by commission clerical officers at Cheptais and Chebyuk polling centres, voting went on smoothly
The Coalition of Orange Democratic (CORD) movement on Thursday lodged complaints with the polls agency accusing its rival Amani coalition of voter bribery in the Bungoma senate by-election.
The main contestants for the seat are Mr Moses Wetang’ula of Cord and Mr Musikari Kombo of Amani.
Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale said there had been widespread bribery by agents affiliated to Amani and that some of them had been arrested.
Dr Khalwale said one of the agents was arrested in Kimilili as he was preparing to distribute cash to prospective voters in order to influence their choices.
He added that Cord leaders in Bungoma had recorded a statement at the Kimilili Police Station over the matter.
The senator said two other people were involved in bribery. He further said one of them was arrested in Webuye town as he was giving out money. He was taken to Webuye Police Station, where he was released on a Sh100,000 bond, he added.
“We have reports of voter bribery by agents affiliated to the New Ford Kenya camp. Several of those agents have been arrested by the public and handed over to the police. No one from the Cord side has been arrested over these claims,” said Dr Khalwale.
He dismissed claims by the media that leaders affiliated to Cord were the ones arrested over bribery. He said Cord officials were the first to record statements over the anomalies at 11.45am, while Amani did so after noon.
During a meeting with county returning officer Ben Misat in Bungoma, the Cord leaders accused him of taking sides.
Kimilili MP Chris Wamalwa accused the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission of bias by failing to act on the voter bribery reports lodged by Mr Wetangula’s camp.
Mr Misat said disagreements between rival camps had been reported. “It is important that allegations levelled against the politicians are cleared to avert trouble,” he said.
Apart from network hitches experienced by commission clerical officers at Cheptais and Chebyuk polling centres, voting went on smoothly.
At the same time, Dr Baraza Nyukuri, an election expert hired by New Ford Kenya to train agents, recorded a statement at the Kimilili Police Station after claiming that he had been assaulted by Ford Kenya supporters.
