Tutui won the party’s nominations in results declared early on Sunday morning after garnering 10,502 of 25,256 valid votes cast. Photo/ FILE
NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 25 – Patrick Ole Tutui will contest in the Kajiado Central by-election slated for March under the newly formed Jubilee Alliance Party (JAP).
Tutui won the party’s nominations in results declared early on Sunday morning after garnering 10,502 of 25,256 valid votes cast.
Elijah Memusi came second with 8,648 votes cast while Anthony Kiroken garnered 5,866 and the only female candidate Joyce Kimojino, garnered 40. And while all four candidates had pledged to support whoever won, only Kimojino was at hand to sign off on the final tally and to shake hands with Tutui.
He, however, discouraged his voters from celebrating prematurely, “we will only clap and thank God,” telling them that they would celebrate should he come out on top in the March 16 by-election. He did however celebrate what he said was a nomination exercise conducted better than the 2013 by-election in which he came second to Joseph Ole Nkaissery.
A nomination exercise, JAP Secretary General Veronica Nduati said, which should serve as an example to the nation.
“Democracy should start at the party level,” she said.
The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM)- which bungled up not only its party elections but the nomination exercise it held for the vacant Homa Bay Senatorial seat and later handpicked candidates – is due to hold its Kajiado Central nomination on Wednesday.
Nduati also expressed confidence that the party’s first foray into elections will be successful given over half of the over 39,000 registered to vote in Kajiado Central turned out to vote in the Jubilee primaries.
“Not to sound boastful but the facts speak for themselves and it’s even more remarkable if you consider that it’s a period of drought and many who are nomads are out of the district looking for pasture,” she explained.
While the majority of the nomination exercise went without incident, voting in Maili Tisa was delayed amid accusations from Memusi supporters that Tutui had bought the polling clerks.
The Jubilee Alliance Party had initially intended to engage the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, but they declined for the reason that the request was made of them late in the day.
ODM, who are defending the seat following the appointment of Nkaissery as Cabinet Secretary for Interior by President Uhuru Kenyatta, are scheduled to hold their nomination exercise on Wednesday in much the same way — universal suffrage.
The same Wednesday Jubilee officials said they would formally award Tutui with his nomination certificate.
Jubilee also pledged to put the full force of their campaign machinery behind him.
“You cannot afford to abandon your first born,” Tutui implored them.
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