The ruling party, Jubilee, has suffered a blow in West Pokot County after an aspirant defected to KANU, after accusing some leaders in the party of sidelining him.
Gubernatorial aspirant Geoffrey Lipale said he will now support Senator Prof. John Lonyangapuo who is eyeing the gubernatorial seat and former Cabinet Minister Samuel Poghisio who is vying for the senatorial seat in the County.
Speaking in Kapenguria after being received by KANU bigwigs, Mr Lipale accused the Jubilee party of not conducting free and fair nominations, adding that they rigged his votes.
“I have decided to decamp from Jubilee and I’ve officially joined KANU because I cannot stay in a house that lacks transparency, and has no justice,” he said.
He accused the top Jubilee leadership of keeping preferred candidates citing that the tribunal for complainants did not help.
He said the Pokot community was marginalized for a long time and the community branded bad names.
Lipale, who was second in the 2013 polls, cited that the move came after a lot of consultations from his supporters.
Senator Lonyangapuo faulted Jubilee leaders in the County for misusing government resources for doing campaigns.
He warned civil servants working in the area over claims of rigging the elections in the County.
He urged President Uhuru Kenyatta to come and seek votes in the region for himself instead of using middlemen.
Lonyangapuo said that he was sure of being elected governor, and he warned those plotting to rig elections in the County. “We shall not allow anyone to use the methods they used to steal votes in their nominations during the coming elections,” he said.
The KANU leaders promised to do peaceful campaigns in the area. Former cabinet minister Samuel Poghisio said that the KANU team will win all seats in the County, insisting that West Pokot is a KANU zone. He urged all politicians to avoid divisive politics.
