The issuance of direct tickets to aspirants vying for various seats in the forthcoming General Elections is being condemned from all quarters.
David Iraya Kivishi, a Member of County Assembly aspirant from Kakamega County says issuance of direct tickets by political parties is retrogressive to the important tenets of democracy.
This criticism comes in the wake of Raila Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement ODM rebuke at its decision to issue direct tickets to several aspirants in Western Kenya, citing the reasons for its decision as the favored candidate’s popularity based on opinion polls, among other reasons.
The party has selected Homabay Women Representative Gladys Wanga as the party’s candidate for the county’s gubernatorial race against the wish of former Nairobi Governor Dr. Evans Kidero who has since decided to vie for the seat as an independent candidate.
Even more close in the region, the party issued a direct ticket to former KETRACO boss Fernandez Barasa to vie for Kakamega County Gubernatorial seat, to replace the outgoing Governor and deputy party leader Wycliffe Ambetsa Oparanya, among other seats at the constituency level.
The decision has caused jitters and an uproar, and to some extent defections, something Kivishi says the party and even other parties can avoid by conducting nominations.
‘’You realize direct ticketing is based on other reasons and not popularity as the parties claim, and that leads to poor leaders having their way due to their muscle,’’ the Manda Shivanga MCA aspirant said.
‘’Let candidates square it out on the ballot to get the best bet to represent the party into the General elections.’’ He added
He, however, admits that political parties in Kenya have no capacity to hold free and fair nominations.
‘’At the same time our parties do not have the structures to hold free and fair nominations. It is in that line that I urge voters not to base their reason for voting in a candidate on a political party.’’ Urged Kivishi
On political intolerance, Kivishi condemns the attacks meted on political opponents in perceived opponents’ strongholds, asking youths not to be used by politicians to cause violence.
‘’When you throw stones at a politician, or his/her convoy, you are hurting yourself, since when you are arraigned in court, you face the full force of the law alone,’’ Kivishi adds.
The aspirant, who was speaking on West TV’s breakfast program #WestTvStaftahi defended his development record outside the county assembly, asking Manda Shivanga voters to give him the mandate to serve them even better.
‘’I have been doing a lot from my pockets, and it is now time I be empowered more to serve my people,’’ he noted.
The politician is vying on a relatively unpopular Pamoja African Alliance PAA ticket, a party headed by Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi and which is supporting Azimio la Umoja’s Raila Odinga for the presidency.
