- Mandago wants losers to unite with those who won in mobilising voters to support Deputy President William Ruto during the August 9 polls.
- He said running as independent candidates would cause unnecessary divisions among voters.
Image: BY MATHEWS NDANYI
Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago has asked politicians who lost in the UDA primaries not to run as independent candidates.
He said they should instead unite with those who won in mobilising voters to support Deputy President William Ruto during the August 9 polls.
He said running as independent candidates would cause unnecessary divisions among voters.
“After the primaries our focus should be rallying support for DP Ruto and not having fights that will undermine our unity,” Mandago said.
The governor, who spoke in Marakwet West, said those opting to vie as independents in the region would create wrangles among leaders who should be focusing on helping Ruto to campaign.
“I urge all our leaders to unite and ensure the DP gets all the support he needs to win on August 9.”
Uasin Gishu has the highest number of aspirants who have opted to vie as independents. Most of them complained of massive interference in the recent UDA primaries.
The county is Ruto’s backyard, but many aspirants claim they were rigged out during the primaries.
Mandago is facing an uphill task in his bid to win the county Senate seat after his rivals opted to run as independent candidates.
Former radio journalist Robert Kemei who came third in the UDA primaries for senator race has confirmed his decision to vie as an independent.
Registrar of Political Parties Ann Nderitu in a letter dated April 21 cleared Kemei to vie as an independent candidate.
The aspirant rejected the results of the primaries, claiming there was massive interference in favour of Mandago.
“We cannot accept the results of such a flawed nomination exercise carried out by UDA in Uasin Gishu,” Kemei said.
In the primaries, Mandago got more than 75,000 votes followed by lawyer Kipchumba Karoli who got slightly above 55,000 votes while Kemei was third with 30,000 votes.
Karoli could not be reached to confirm reports that he had also moved to vie as an independent candidate.
He also rejected the results of the primaries.
Several other losers who complained of unfairness in the UDA primaries have dashed to secure independent tickets.
In Nandi, MPs Vincent Tuwei of Mosop and Cornel Serem of Aldai will defend their seats as independent candidates.
The two tallied second in the primaries, which were marked by claims of massive irregularities.
The margins of their loss in the primaries were slim and analysts say the MPs could still reclaim their seats.
Serem lost to former employee at Ruto's office, Marryann Keittany, while Tuwei lost newcomer Abraham Kirwa.
In Marakwet West, Lawrence Mutwol lost to MP Bowen Kangogo. He has also opted to vie as an independent candidate.
Mutwol filed a dispute at the UDA elections tribunal against the win by Kangogo in the primaries but he said the matter was unfairly determined.
He had warned he would not accept having the will of the people subverted.
A major battle between independent candidates and those of UDA is expected in Uasin Gishu.
The independents will have a hard task running against UDA aspirants. UDA is the predominant party in the region.
MPs who did not join UDA in Uasin Gishu and will run as independents include Dr Swarrup Mishra of Kesses, Sila Tiren of Moiben and William Chepkut of Ainabkoi.
Politician Bundotich Kiprop Buzeki will run for governor as an independent candidate.
Edited by A.N