It’s D-Day for Deputy President William Ruto’s top allies in Nandi and Elgeyo Marakwet counties where they face off in Jubilee primaries today. All JP primaries , including those in the DP’s backyard, in an unprecedent and humiliating primaries debacle.
Yesterday, JP headquarters yesterday dispatched high-powered teams to the two regions to oversee the nominations and prevent disasters like the one that caused cancellation of all primaries on Friday last week.
Joseph Mathai, the region’s party’s coordinator, said they would put in measures to ensure credible polls. “This time it will be all systems go and we hope to do the best nominations,” he said.
Ruto’s allies have spent heavily to win nominations for the August 8 polls. The DP has kept off the campaigns, but sources say he is monitoring the exercise remotely, amid fears the heated campaigns may lead to chaotic nominations.
Most of Ruto’s allies are in Nandi county, and are battling for the governor’s seat. They include Governor Cleophas Lagat, former ministers Henry Kosgey, ex-Agriculture CS Felix Koskei, and Nandi Senator Stephen Sang.
“We are hoping for free and fair nominations in which the people will decide, but I have high hopes of winning,”Sang said.
Opinion polls put Kosgey ahead, followed by Koskei and Lagat in third position.
A similar battle looms in Nandi Hills where a showdown is expected between outspoken MP Alfred Keter and DP Ruto’s aide Emmanuel Tallam, among other aspirants.
In Elgeyo Marakwet, Senator Kipchumba Murkomen and Governor Alex Tolgos, allies of the DP, are running against new aspirants. Murkomen, a key defender of the Jubilee administration, is in a tough race against businessmen Bernard Boit and John Kangogo, among other hopefuls.
Tolgos is in a two-horse race against Keiyo South MP Jackson Kiptanui, an ally of the DP. Samson Changwony is also seeking the JP ticket for governor.
Tolgos got a boost when auditor Bernard Chepkulei withdrew from the contest last Thursday and backed the governor for reelecton. In Baringo, Governor Benjamin Cheboi, another DP ally, is set for a bruising battle against the region’s Knut boss Stanley Kiptis.