A lorry ferrying election material was on Wednesday, April 13 ransacked and the ballot boxes and papers burnt in Embu town near a popular hotel.
Earlier on, aspirants in Embu addressed the media where they made counter-allegations over alleged rigging plans.Â
Deputy President William Ruto’s close ally, Cecily Mbarire threatened to quit the party if the process was not free and fair.
Manyatta MP John Muchiri, also a close associate of the DP, further called on the party to be transparent in managing the Thursday primaries. Both Muchiri and Mbarire are battling it out for the UDA ticket in the Embu gubernatorial race.Â
“As a candidate, what I am advocating for is a free and fair nomination and that is the same thing I have told my party. I will not take part in the exercise if it’s not free and fair,” Mbarire stated.
Earlier, party officials including Secretary-General, Veronica Maina, cautioned politicians against causing chaos during the primaries.
The officials warned of dire consequences including denying the aspirants tickets.
Additionally, Ruto assured candidates that the primaries will be free and fair, dispelling claims that there were preferred candidates.
“We will have a near General Election in Kenya as UDA will have primaries across the country. I want to ask aspirants to participate in the process peacefully. We have committed that elections will be free, fair, and democratic,” he stated.
The party’s National Election Board (NEB) led by Antony Mwaura is yet to issue a statement over the chaos.
In other Mt Kenya counties, some aspirants expressed concern over the recruitment of election personnel even as Meru County Women Representative aspirant, Edith Mririgi, dropped her bid.
“I hereby withdraw from the UDA party primaries Meru county because the process is a sham and already manipulated, especially in the recruitment of presiding officers and clerks. My team will give the next course of action in the next 48 hours,” she stated.
Source: KENYAGIST.COM
