UDA aspirants in Uasin Gishu have rejected officials appointed by the party to preside over its primaries in the region next week.
They allege interference in the primaries by some aspirants, coordinators and the returning officers appointed by the national office.
The county is home to Deputy President William Ruto.
The aspirants now want Ruto to take charge and ensure a free and fair exercise so that UDA remains strong in the region.
“There will be no nominations in this county if we are not assured of a free and fair exercise that will have everyone satisfied with the results,” the aspirants led by Julius Bett said.
The hopefuls claimed they had not been involved in coming up with the list of returning officers as had been promised by the UDA National Elections Board.
“We have seen strangers on the list sent to supervise the exercise yet as aspirants we were to participate in the whole exercise," Bett said.
"We will not accept the appointed officials and we demand a fresh meeting to appoint a new group of returning officers.”
Aspirant Sharon Chebet questioned why some contestants skipped a meeting organised by the national elections board in Eldoret to brief them on the plan for the primaries set for April 14.
“It seems some aspirants consider themselves more important than others and that is a clear pointer that the nominations may not be free and fair as promised,” Chebet said.
Separately, Governor Jackson Mandago, who is vying for the Senate seat, said plans for the primaries were still being discussed and there was no need for panic among aspirants.
“During such exercises there is always an element of suspicion because everyone is pushing for his or her interests," he said.
"What we know is that the party has promised free and fair polls and should work towards that."
Mandago said aspirants and members had a role to play in ensuring the primaries are free and fair.
He said UDA has the capacity to hold properly organised polls and be an example to other parties in the country.
“We also urge aspirants and their supporters to ensure the primaries will be peaceful so that UDA emerges stronger and ready for the general election in August,” Mandago said during an interview in Eldoret.
The aspirants in the region are also putting in place teams of agents to ensure the voting and counting is devoid of malpractice.
UDA said it plans to invite foreign and local observers to witness the primaries.
The party has sought consensus wherever possible but where it's not, then primaries will be held.
UDA has hired 100,000 polling clerks, 128 presiding officers and 47 returning officers.
Bett said the party had promised the aspirants would be involved in picking county deputy returning officers but national officials had reneged on the promise.
(Edited by Francis Wadegu)
