Kiambu county has the highest number of aspirants who have registered for UDA nominations in the Mt Kenya region.
UDA National Elections Board chairman Anthony Mwaura said on Tuesday that 327 aspirants are seeking the party's ticket ahead of the August 9 polls.
Kiambu also tops in the highest number of voters in the region.
The NEB chairman said the party is the most popular in Kiambu, hence the high number of aspirants.
"Kiambu tops in the number of aspirants who want to vie for various elective posts. This is the county with the highest number of voters in Mt Kenya region and is the county that will give the highest number of votes in Kenya to Deputy President William Ruto," Mwaura said.
He spoke at St Peter and Paul Catholic Church hall in Kiambu town.
Kiambu is the 25th county where the UDA NEB has met with aspirants ahead of the nominations to be held between April 6 and 16.
Mwaura said the party is committed to conducting a free and fair nominations.
"We have discussed with aspirants and we have agreed on the way forward. We have assured them of free and fair nomination election. We do not want any anomaly from any side," he said.
Party NEB member Salome Biacco said aspirants have agreed that they will use the current IEBC list of voters during the nominations.
"That way, everybody will have an equal opportunity to cast their votes," she said.
Biacco said aspirants had expressed concern that the nominations might not start on time and ballot papers and boxes might not be in place at the right time.
"We have assured the aspirants that their agents will be involved in ensuring that the ballot papers, boxes and party register and all the materials that are required for that day arrive at the polling stations in good time. The exercise starts at 6am and terminates at 5pm," she said.
Biacco said the issue of high nomination fees did not arise among the aspirants.
Kihara MCA aspirant Kamau Makas said the party has briefed them on the methods they will use during nominations.
Komothai MCA aspirant Stephen Gicharu said UDA is the most popular party in the county, hence the need to ensure the primaries are free and fair.
“No one who will be given a nomination certificate through the backdoor and voters have been given a chance to choose their preferred candidate to run for a seat in the August 9 elections,” Gicharu said.
Edited by A.N
