Bigwigs lose in party primaries
Sat, November 17, 2007
By NATION TEAM
Last updated: 14 minutes ago
Three outgoing MPs were among giants who fell by the wayside in party nominations. ODM pentagon member William Ruto's ally, outgoing
Eldoret East MP David Koros, was floored by political debutant Peris Siman.
Outgoing Kapenguria
MP Samuel Moroto who switched from the PNU bandwagon recently tasted a bitter defeat, after he was beaten by clergyman Rev Julius Murgor.
Chaos preceded the announcement of ODM results for Eldoret East constituency where Mr Koros was shown the door by voters. Supporters of Ms Siman who won the nominations after garnering 7,025 barricaded the Nairobi-Eldoret road at Cheptiret trading centre after a local FM station had broadcast that Mr Koros had won.
Mrs Simam's supporters blocked the road for about four hours on Saturday morning in protest at the results as announced by the radio station.
Anti-riot police from Burnt Forest who were at the scene dispersed the demonstrators by lobbying teargas canisters.
Calm was restored by Uasin Gishu District police chief Angelus Karuru who was accompanied by ODM North Rift coordinator Isaac Maiyo Mrs Simam will now fight it out with Mr Patrick Rotich of Kanu/PNU who earned a direct nomination.
In Eldoret North, Dr Jonathan Bii who was given a direct nomination by Kanu under PNU will battle it out with ODM Pentagon leader William Ruto who was also given a direct nomination for the constituency by ODM.
Former Chemelil managing director Mr Harun Tuigong won the Eldoret East Kanu nominations.
In Kacheliba constituency, outgoing
MP Samuel Poghisio was unopposed in ODM-K while
John Lodinyo and Joshua Lorupe will fly the PNU and ODM tickets respectively.
Kanu candidate for Kapenguria parliamentary seat
Prof John Lonyangapuo complained that his name had been inserted on the ODM ballot papers.
Speaking to journalist in Eldoret town, the former Chepkoilel Campus principal accused ODM's electoral board of failing to rectify the anomaly despite raising the issue two times.
The don said that some of his friends had become impatient when he failed to announce his party and paid Sh130,000 on his behalf.“When they brought the nomination forms I declined to fill them because I was a Kanu candidate,” he told journalists in Eldoret.
And the family of the late Vice President William Wamalwa revived hopes of sending a kin to the August House when
Eugene Wamalwa beat his brother's successor Davis Nakitare in the PNU race for the December 27 General Election.
Former Civil Service Head
Sally Kosgey defied many personal attacks in form of leaflets to clinch the ODM nomination for the Aldai seat.
There was no major surprise, though, for two ministers, Agriculture minister
Kipruto Kirwa and his Science and Technology minister
Noah Wekesa clinched PNU tickets in Cherangany and Kwanza respectively.
Mr Kirwa showed his might to recapture the Cherangany ticket by beating his rivals with a big margin. Mr Kirwa gunnered
14,554 votes against his opponents Mr Ben Masanja who had 2,020 votes. Mr Fredrick Wakoli, with 119 emerged third.
He would face
Zipporah Kittony (Kanu), Mr Dickson Masindano (New Ford-K), Mr Mwambu Muliro (Kaddu) and Mr Michael Kibebe (Kenda) on the December 27 polling day.
Dr Wekesa polled
8,622 votes followed by Mr John Walubego with 4,504 with Mr Mike Wasike bringing up the rear with 354 votes.
But his opponents cried foul of the results and accused the minister of using public resources to win the nominations.
In Saboti, Mr Wamalwa humiliated Mr Nakitare after he gunnered
19,364 votes against Mr Nakitale's 2,108 votes.
Other aspirants for the Saboti seat were Mrs Elizabeth Nyongesa, Wafula Mutacho and Fred Wafula who got 1,422, 97 and 782 votes respectively.
In Webuye,
Mr Alfred Sambu defeated five opponents to clinch the ODM ticket. Mr Sambu got
19,464 votes with his closed rival Mrs Roselinda Simiyu getting 2,740 votes.
Mrs Simiyu protested against the results claiming that voter bribery took place and some votes arrested.In Kanduyi constituency,
Mr Alfred Khangati emerged the winner, getting
4,872 votes.
His closest rival Dr Juma Mukhwana got 4300 votes. In Bumula
Dr Adrian Mukhebi got 9,700 votes to win the ODM ticket.
In Webuye, Local Government minister and Ford-K chairman was unopposed on PNU. In Sirisia
Mr Moses Wetangula was elected unopposed to fly the PNU flag.
Reported by Peter Ngetich, George Omonso, Kennedy Lumwamu, Edward Koech and Luke Kapchanga
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