EMBU, Kenya, Apr 16 – Controversy has rocked Mbeere South Constituency, Embu, United Democratic Alliance (UDA) nominations after two candidates protested delay in the issuance of their provisional certificates despite being declared winners in their respective seats.
MP hopeful Genesio Mugo has claimed that almost 24 hours after being declared winner of the contest, he is yet to be issued with his certificate and suspect there was a deliberate scheme to deny him the party ticket.
Speaking on Saturday in Embu Town, Mugo claimed that as per the results declared, he garnered 5, 650 votes, with his close contestant Nebat Muriuki getting 5, 554 that he claimed was not a true reflection of what he got.
He alleges that the figures were altered as he had actually garnered 5, 795 votes against Muriuki’s 3, 594.
However, from a video clip captured during the results declaration, the Returning Officer reported that Mugo got 5, 650, Muriuki 5,564 and the incumbent Geoffrey King’ang’i 1, 570 and before the winner could be declared, supporters of Mugo went into a frenzy mood.
He said the RO cannot be reached to explain the delay as her phone is off and called on the party leader Deputy President William Ruto to personally intervene.
“The Deputy President has maintained that the nominations will be carried out in a fair manner that is now lacking here,”Mugo complained, saying the delay had distracted his campaigns.
Meanwhile, Kiambere Ward contestant Patrick Njeru Thiga is also crying foul and has called on the UDA National Elections Board to fast-track issuance of his certificate.
His results declaration was marred by confusion after the RO declared that he had garnered 78 votes against Stephen Mwaniki’s 1,112 before Senator Kipchumba Murkomen re-examined the results from the computer and admitted that there was indeed a mix-up.
Murkomen who had been dispatched to oversee the nominations in the entire county read the figures again and this time round Thiga was declared the winner with 1,112 votes.
“Up to now I don’t have the certificate for reasons not known to me,” Thiga complained.
Area MP Geoffrey King’ang’i has so far refuted the results claiming there were massive cases of irregularities ranging from rigging and ballot stuffing, late arrival of ballot materials at polling stations and no turnout in some stations.
