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Chaos, Fury And Protests

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Published on Saturday, 02 June 2007 06:10
In Kisii, scores of people were injured as violence, protests, boycotts and logistical problems marred the Ford-P nominations. Mr Lawrence Nyachiega, from Kitutu Masaba, was stabbed in the head and is admitted to the Kisii District Hospital in a critical condition.

In Bobasi, a candidate, Mr Joshua Ongoro was beaten up at Nyakegogi polling station and his agents chased a way. Mr Ongoro described the nominations as a sham and demanded a repeat. Vehicles of the aspirants were smashed in Bobasi, Bomachoge and Nyaribari Masaba.

Aspirants from Kitutu Chache led by Prof Tumbo Oeri and Mr Orina Momanyi accused Cabinet minister Sam Ongeri of rigging. They said contrary to reports, it was Mr Momanyi who had won and not Mr Richard Onyoka.

In some areas, nominations were conducted in the absence of candidates who had boycotted the exercise, sparking an outcry. The losers besieged the Regional co-ordinator, Mr George Mwicigi, at a Kisii hotel to dispute the results and demand a repeat. Mr Mwicigi conceded the primaries were a failure in most constituencies. "We underestimated the turnout," he said.

In South Mugirango the nominations did not take place in most places due to lack of election materials. The story was the same in Bonchari and Kitutu Masaba.

Two aspirants came to blows at a consultative meeting for aspirants at a Kisii hotel. The aspirants, from Kitutu Masaba - Mr Waltar Nyambati and Timothy Bosire - had disagreed on the results of the nominations on Friday, which had been nullified. A fuming Mr Nyambati pounced on Mr Mr Bosire with walking stick, accusing him of rigging.

The meeting of the party's 88 parliamentary aspirants ended in disarray and a bitter exchange of words. They could not agree on whether to repeat the previous day's nominations, which were allegedly rigged.

As the meeting dragged on, a section of the candidates led by Mr Reuben Oyondi stormed out. Mr George Mwicigi announced that the nominations will be repeated in all the 10 constituencies. "We are not going to recognise any result," he said.

But those who had won declared they would take part in the nominations. "I will not take part in a repeat exercise. I won in a fair and free election where all of my six opponents took part and lost," said Dr Hezron Manduku of Bomachoge. Mr Mwicigi said polling would begin this morning at 8 am and counting at 12 pm.