TNA aspirants for Mathare constituency Gabriel Muthuma, (right) Jackson
Mwangi (Centre) and Ndung'u wa Grace at apress conference in Nairobi
on May 31 2014. President Kenyatta’s TNA stares a nomination crisis in
the Mathare Parliamentary by-election after aspirants opposed direct
nomination in the party while it must settle on its candidate within a
week. PHOTO/ANTHONY OMUYA
President Kenyatta’s TNA stares a
nomination crisis in the Mathare Parliamentary by-election after
aspirants opposed direct nomination in the party while it must settle on
its candidate within a week.
The aspirants said an eight-day window allowed by the electoral commission for party nominations was an ambush.
They said they feared the party would choose the easy route of giving a direct ticket to former MP George Wanjohi.
TNA has until Monday next week to name its flag bearer to face Mr Steven Kariuki (ODM), who has been confirmed by his party.
On
Friday, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) set
August 7 as the by election date and June 23 as the final day for
participating parties to submit their list of candidates.
TNA
executive director Joseph Maathai yesterday sought to allay fears over
the party’s ability to conduct nominations before the weekend.
“We knew we would be ambushed with a tight IEBC programme but we have been planning the by-election,” he said.
Mr Maathai said the party’s chairman, Mr Johnson Sakaja, and other officials would hold a conference with the aspirants today.
“We
shall invite all paid-up aspirants. We have about four, including the
former MP (Mr Wanjohi). They have fulfilled their side of the bargain an
the burden is on us to deliver,” said Mr Maathai.
However,
the aspirants sent a warning. “The time may be inadequate, but we
expect nothing short of grass root nominations,” said Mr Jackson
Mwangi.
“The short notice could give the party an excuse to hand pick an individual and this will backfire on the party.”
NO RESOURCES
Mr Gabriel Muthuma, another aspirant, said party members must be allowed to choose their best choice to face ODM.
“Unless
some people want to sabotage the party, the mood on the ground is that
the candidate must be picked at the grassroots,” he said. The
nomination headache could favour Mr Wanjohi, who is being supported by
city MPs Mr Maina Kamanda (Starehe) and Mwangi Gakuya (Embakasi North) .
Mr
Wanjohi was not subjected to payment of nomination fees due to the long
running court cases that culminated in a Supreme Court decision that
nullified his victory. On Sunday, he was guarded on whether or not he
would participate in nomination with the other aspirants.
“I
will follow the party decision. For now, I don’t think there are
resources and time for gruelling political processes,” he said.
Meanwhile, the ODM gathered momentum for Mr Kariuki’s candidacy.
Opposition bigwigs including Mr Raila Odinga have thrown their weight
behind him.
Mr Kariuki as well as city ODM party officials led by chairman George Aladwa.
But
the Cord campaign coordination team that was to be led by governor
Evans Kidero has allegedly been slowed down by the election petition
facing him against former Embakasi MP Ferdinand Waititu.
Mr
Kariuki’s bid was boosted after city lawyer Anthony Oluoch withdrew his
interest in the seat after allegedly meeting Mr Odinga last week.
And
yesterday, former Youth Fund CEO Evans Gor Semelang’o has confirmed
his candidature for the upcoming Mathare by election in August as an
independent candidate.
Mr Semelang’o
has already started working on the logistics and modalities of the
running his campaign and was yesterday holed up with his strategy team
in a Nairobi hotel where campaign materilas were issued.
“I am to ensure that I capture the seat at whatever cost,” said Mr Semelang’o on phone.
The
immediate former chief executive of the youth noted that he opted to be
an independent candidate as he has the capacity to fund his campaign,
noting further that almost all other parties had already fielded their
preferred candidates for the seat.
Mr Semelang’o is also a businessman with diverse interests in real estate, retail and the oil sector.
He
was sacked from the youth fund by devolution secretary Anne Waiguru in
unclear circumstances that has since raised brouhaha especially from
CORD affiliated MPs.
CLOUDY PROCESS
The IEBC has set August 7 as the by-election date for the Mathare and Gatundu South By-Elections.
Independent
candidates are required to submit their symbols and seek clearance from
the Registrar of Political Parties before June 19 while political
party primaries are expected to have been completed by June 23.
The
Mathare seat fell vacant following the Supreme Court’s ruling on May 23
that upheld an initial Court of Appeal decision to nullify the
election of former MP George Wanjohi.
The court ruled that Mr Wanjohi was handed victory in a “cloudy process” which was a flagrant disregard of the constitution.
The
Supreme court judges criticised the IEBC for undermining democracy and
ordered it to compensate ODM’s Mr Stephen Kariuki who had initially been
declared the winner in the March 4 polls before an election official
recalled his certificate and issued it instead to Mr Wanjohi.
related
Vote attracts an independent
Former Youth Fund chief executive Evans Gor Semelang’o has confirmed his candidature in the Mathare by-election.
Mr Semelang’o has started working on his campaign and was yesterday holed up with his strategy team in a Nairobi hotel.
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