Jubilee sets primaries for three days, assures aspirants of fair poll

Jubilee Party on Wednesday extended its nominations by two days. It had planned to hold the polls for all elective seats on Friday.

Counties in Rift Valley and Central Kenya will conduct theirs on Friday while those in Coast, Western and North Eastern will now carry out theirs on Tuesday, a day before the gazetted deadline to complete the process. Nairobi nominations will be held on Monday.

The party attributed the change to “a logistical nightmare”, after an increase of counties where primaries would be done from 33 to 45. For Nairobi, the postponement was in response to an appeal by the Muslim community, as Friday is their prayer day.

On Friday, the party will hold primaries in 21 counties in Rift Valley and Central — two of its biggest strongholds.

The party assured supporters of a fool-proof nomination, describing it as “impenetrable and impossible to rig.”

BALLOT PAPERS

Rumours had it some incumbents had gained access to the ballot papers and had marked them, awaiting to stuff them in ballot boxes on D-day.

“If you can rig the Jubilee process, please come to me and I’ll pay you,” the party secretary-general, Mr Raphael Tuju, told journalists at the party headquarters in Nairobi on Wednesday. He described the ballot papers as “state-of-the-art.”

He said it has five security features, unique serial numbers, a watermark and a variety of colour codes for the different elective seats.

“Even if you were able to get our ballot papers, how will you know how we have serialized them? How will you know which colour is for which seat? And how will you tell where to put the watermark?” posed Mr Tuju.

More than 200 trucks were sent at midday Wednesday to transport the ballot papers and other election materials to the counties.

TRIED TO COPY

“We have 1,000 per cent confidence in our ballot papers. Even if you tried to copy them, you will not go anywhere with it,” said National Elections Board chairman Andrew Musangi. “If you can print the Jubilee ballot paper, then you can as well print the Sh100 note.”

Meanwhile on Tuesday night, some aspirants in Nyeri, stormed a members-only club after word went round that sitting MPs had thrown a lavish dinner to Jubilee election presiding officers, where it was claimed they planned to pre-mark ballot papers.

The party officials abandoned their food at the Aberdares Country Club as they scampered to safety covering their faces from cameras. Some fled through the bushes in the Aberdare Forest.

Counties that will have the nominations Friday are Kirinyaga, Nyeri, Kiambu, Murang’a, Nyandarua, Kericho, Bomet, Nakuru, West Pokot, Nandi, Elgeyo Marakwet, Uasin Gishu, Baringo, Laikipia, Kajiado, Narok, Trans-Nzoia, Tharaka-Nithi, Meru, Embu, Taita Taveta, and Nairobi.

RECORD SERIAL NUMBERS

Those that will go to the ballot on April 25 are Lamu, Wajir, Mandera, Marsabit, Turkana, Samburu, Kilifi, Tana River, Mombasa, Kitui, Machakos, Makueni, Kakamega, Vihiga, Bungoma, Busia, Homa Bay, Migori, Kwale, Garissa, Nyamira, Isiolo, and Kisii.

With 8,012 aspirants contesting in the 45 counties and with eight million members voting, the fight for the Jubilee Party ticket has led to apprehension from candidates who claim that some incumbents had access to the ballot papers that they will use to unfairly increase their numbers.

“All aspirants or their agents are required to be at the polling station at 5am on Friday April 21, record serial numbers of ballot papers, be ready to witness the sealing of ballot boxes, and sign relevant forms before the voting opens at 6am,” a document prepared by the party on the nominations, says.

To further address the fears of the aspirants, the party has reversed its decision to merge polling stations in its strongholds, after complaints it could inconvenience some candidates.

On Wednesday, the party said that its final results will only be made known by the elections board.

Counties that will conduct nominations on April 21:

1. Kirinyaga

2. Elgeyo Marakwet

3. Meru

4. Uasin Gishu

5. Baringo

6. Bomet

7. Laikipia

8. Murang'a

9. Tharaka-Nithi

10. Kiambu

11. Nyandarua

12. Embu

13. Kericho

14. West Pokot

15. Nandi

16. Nakuru

17. Nyeri

18. Kajiado

19. Narok

20. Trans-Nzoia

21. Taita Taveta

Counties that will conduct nominations on April 25:

1. Lamu

2. Wajir

3. Mandera

4. Marsabit

5. Turkana

6. Samburu

7. Kilifi

8. Tana River

9. Mombasa

10. Kitui

11. Machakos

12. Makueni

13. Kakamega

14. Vihiga

15. Bungoma

16. Busia

17. Homa Bay

18. Migori

19. Kwale

20. Garissa

21. Nyamira

22. Isiolo

23. Kisii