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Kitutu Masaba by-election pulls record number of aspirants

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Published on Saturday, 05 November 2011 03:10

Aspirants for the Kitutu Masaba seat are using public meetings, funerals and religious gatherings to launch what is shaping up to be the most populated race for a seat in a by-election in the recent past. So far 20 candidates have declared their interest.

Kitutu Masaba also had the longest ballot paper during the last general election when 33 candidates were eying the parliamentary seat.

The by-election has attracted a large number of aspirants despite the fact that whoever will be elected will represent the constituency for less than a year should the country hold elections in August next year.  

Nomination papers

The Interim Independent Electoral Commission has said it will receive nomination papers from interested candidates on November  2  and 3, and only then will it become clear who will actually be in the race.

But in the meantime, candidates are aligning themselves to various political parties with a view of getting nominations.

The seat was declared vacant after the Kisii High Court nullified the election of Mr Walter Nyambati (National Labour Party) as the area MP due to election irregularities cited in a petition. (READ: Bid to lock out ex-MPs from poll race)

A voter, Mr Justus Omiti, who was the chief campaigner for ODM’s candidate in 2007, Mr Timothy Bosire Moseti, filed the petition. 

So far the Gusii region has had three 2007 parliamentary election results nullified. In addition to Kitutu Masaba, South Mugirango and Bomachoge have held by-elections.

However, Catholic priest Thomas Matoke has said it it greed that is causing so many candidates to vie for the Kitutu Masaba seat “even after knowing very well that we are left with only a short period to go before the general elections.” 

Sunday Nation, however, learnt that some aspirants are using the by-election to test their political popularity before choosing a seat to vie for in Nyamira County.

Among those who have declared interest in the seat are the immediate former MP Mr Nyambati, Mr Bosire, former area MP Mwancha Okioma and gospel musician Alex “Ringtone” Apoko. 

There are indications that the battle for the seat will be bruising, considering presidential aspirants Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Mr Peter Kenneth have toured the constituency to drum up support for candidates from their parties.