Standoff as MP Keter's nomination certificate unavailable after winning race

MP Keter and his supporters said they will spend the night at the tallying centre.

In Summary

•MP Keter trounced his closest competitor Benard Kitur with a margin of 2,797 votes as declared by the returning officer Veronica Chebii.

•The MP polled 10,263  votes while Kitur bagged 7,469 votes. Robert Chepkwony got 2,573 votes.

FILE: MPs Alfred Keter (C), SIla Tiren and Joshua Kuttung during a farmers meeting in Eldoret
KETER FILE: MPs Alfred Keter (C), SIla Tiren and Joshua Kuttung during a farmers meeting in Eldoret
Image: BY MATHEWS NDANYI

Hundreds of Nandi Hills MP Alfred Keter's supporters camped at the party nominations tallying centre at Samoei high school in Nandi-hills demanding an interim certificate to be released to the winner.

MP Keter trounced his closest competitor Benard Kitur with a margin of 2,797 votes as declared by the returning officer Veronica Chebii.

The MP polled 10,263  votes while Kitur bagged 7,469 votes. Robert Chepkwony got 2,573 votes.

However, drama unfolded when Keter was called upon to the front to be congratulated.

Unlike in other nominations, the interim nomination certificate was missing.

Chebii is said to have told Keter that he will be issued the interim nomination certificate on Wednesday. No reason was given for the decision.

"We are not leaving here until tomorrow when we will be handed the nomination certificate," Keter told his supporters.

The action prompted his supporters to suspect that something amiss was about to happen owing to earlier claims of a scheme to rig out Keter.

The supporters opted to keep vigil at Samoei high school hall until the certificate was released to the winner

Earlier in the day, UDA party observer was forced out of the tallying centre by irate youths.

Rahab Mukami the Nyeri county woman representative was forcefully asked to leave Samoei high school compound on fears that she had been sent to rig out Keter.

Edwin Talam, a supporter of Keter said they were ready to pay the ultimate price if the MP was denied his right to defend his seat on a UDA ticket.

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