- Supporters of another aspirant Bii also expressed fears of possible interference in the primaries to favour a particular individual.
- Most of the aspirants have invested heavily in the campaigns for the last one year, while others started grassroots campaigns more than two years ago.
Image: BYMATHEWS NDANYI
Some of the leading aspirants for the Uasin Gishu governor seat have threatened dire political consequences should there be attempts to rig the party’s primaries.
The primaries will be held Thursday this week.
They said a clique of powerful individuals were scheming to rig the party polls and had set up a parallel tallying centre at a hidden location in Eldoret town.
“We will not support who whoever will be rigged in and the party stands to lose immensely,” Ngenyilel MCA David Sing’oei, who is running for the governor seat, said.
He said the will of the people of Uasn Gishu must be exercised fully.
Supporters of another aspirant Jonathan Bii also expressed fears of possible interference in the primaries to favour a particular individual.
“We know of all schemes by some individuals to fix the results of the primaries, but we will do everything possible to ensure the polls are free and fair,” Janet Kibitok, who is a campaign official in Bii’s camp, said.
All UDA aspirants in the North Rift counties are engaged in tight last-minute efforts to woo supporters with a few days left to the party primaries.
The most hotly contested seat is that of governor in the counties of Nandi, Uasin GIshu and Elgeyo Marakwet where Deputy President William Ruto allies are battling for political survival against new comers and old guards.
Most of the aspirants have invested heavily in the campaigns for the last one year, while others started grassroots campaigns more than two years ago.
Uasin Gishu, which is DP Ruto’s home county, has seen a high number of his allies battling to succeed Governor Jackson Mandago whose tenure is ending as he also shifts to vie for the Senate seat.
Former envoys Julius Bitok and Sarah Serem alongside politician Jonathan Bii, Soy MP Caleb Kostany, Sing’oei and former Nairobi Devolution executive Vesca Kangogo are engaged in a tight race to win the UDA ticket.
“We are expecting free and fair primaries as has been promised by our party. I believe I have the best manifesto on which the people of Uasin Gishu can judge my ability to take the county to the next level,” Bitok said.
Bitok expressed confidence that his six-point agenda for development in the county resonates well with the residents.
In Nandi, Governor Stephen Sang is battling to save his political career against lawyer Allan Kosgey and a team calling itself Nandi Kwanza Alliance.
The alliance brings together former governor Cleophas Lagat and Nandi county assembly speaker Joshua Kiptoo.
Kiptoo agreed to step down and take the running mate slot for Lagat. Also in the race is finance expert Antipas Tirop.
In Elgeyo Marakwet, former Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet is battling against Deputy Governor Wesley Rotich in a tight race that also includes educationist Josphat Sawe and university don Joyce Jemencho.
(edited by Amol Awuor)