Leaders caution Nasa over plans to set up parallel tallying

Jubilee Party leaders on Sunday returned to the Coast region where they rejected the National Super Alliance's (Nasa) plan to set up a parallel tallying centre for presidential vote in the August 8 General Election.

The leaders who included Cabinet secretaries Mwangi Kiunjuri (Devolution), Eugene Wamalwa (Water), Dan Kazungu (Mining), National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale and former Constitution Implementation Commission chairman Charles Nyachae, cautioned their colleagues against this, saying the decision is unconstitutional and would not augur well for the country’s peace.

Mr Wamalwa said the Constitution only mandates the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission with the responsibility of monitoring and releasing election results.

“I want to tell Nasa to follow the law,” said Mr Wamalwa at a rally in Kilifi County.

According to the Water CS, the setting up of parallel tallying centres in 2007 elections was what caused the post-election violence where more than 1,000 people died and thousands displaced.

They accused the Opposition “of looking for excuses because they have sensed defeat”.

They urged Nasa “to accept the election results since they are sure they will defeat them”.

The sentiments were supported by Kilifi North MP Gideon Mung’aro, Jubilee Party’s point man at the Coast who is seeking to unseat Governor Amason Kingi.

“The people of the region that was formally being referred as Opposition stronghold have changed their minds and have decided to work with the ruling Jubilee government,” said Devolution CS Kiunjuri.

FAILED LEADERSHIP

The party is trying to make inroads and get a share of the 1.7 million votes in a region that voted almost entirely for the Opposition in 2013 elections.

The leaders urged Kilifi residents to reject the Opposition in this year’s elections, arguing its leadership had nothing to show as far as development is concerned.

“I have been in politics for the last 20 years and I know them since they are just liars and they are unable to show their achievements. They will soon come here to confuse you by criticizing Jubilee projects," Mr Kiunjuri said.

Mr Duale claimed that some of the Nasa leaders used public funds to pay for fictitious gold and they have now teamed up to cover their scandals through the Nasa coalition.

“The same Mr Odinga who claimed that Mr Musalia Mudavadi has been involved in Goldenberg scandal has teamed up with him to make a government,” he said adding that “it is that they want to tell us that this a different Mudavadi who was involved in the scandal”.

Mr Mung'aro faulted Governor Kingi for demanding that the Galana-Kulalu irrigation project be managed by counties to end the prevailing hunger in the region.

Mr Mung’aro said the county has obtained billions of shillings for the last four years for agriculture but residents are still suffering of hunger.

“Show me any farm under irrigation in the county aimed at ensuring food security in the area,” he said adding that “it has also received another 0.5 billion for water but residents are still drinking from water pan”.

DEVELOPMENT
The Kilifi gubernatorial aspirant said Jubilee government has made good steps in developing the region after he decided to work hand in hand with President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto.

“We can all witness the tarmacking of Malindi-Sala Gate, Garsen-Lamu, Mariakani-Bamba, Sabaki-Marafa road, Kakuyuni-Gongoni-Kilifi water project among others,” he said.

Mr Munga’ro said the region has changed and it is no longer termed an opposition region as it has been known in the past.

“Those who always ask why I never asked my people for permission to join Jubilee, did they also came to ask you for permission to disband Cord and form Nasa coalition?”

Also present were Tana River Governor Hussein Dado, MPs Mustafa Iddi (Kilifi South), Khatib Mwashetani (Lunga Lunga), Taita Taveta Woman rep Joyce Lay, among others.