The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party nominations in West Pokot County delayed to start.
A snap survey in most polling stations in Kapenguria and Pokot South Constituency showed that by 8am voting had not started because of the delay of ballot boxes and papers.
UDA party members who arrived early in the morning protested over the delay.
Others were seen going back after the delay.
However, a UDA clerk at Makutano Primary school polling station arrived at 7.45am with ballot boxes.
Mr. Yasin Asman who arrived at 5 am said it was wrong for the party to delay conducting the nominations.
“This is very wrong because we have been wasted,” he said.
Hellen Cheyech a, UDA agent at Makutano primary school who arrived at 4 am, said over 500 people came and left.
“I have left my twins without breastfeeding them in the house. Why did the ballot boxes and papers be taken to Baptist yet we have IEBC offices here,” she said.
Nominations in four wards in the County have been postponed till Monday 18th April, 2022.
The wards are Riwo, Endough,Tapach and Lelan.
UDA County returning officer in West Pokot County Ann Wanjiku said that they have logistical issues in some areas due to the ongoing fuel crisis in Endough Riwo wards.
She said the nominations will be done on Monday.
“We had trained clerks and presiding officers’ .Ballot boxes and papers are there,”she said.
In Tapach and Lelan wards in Pokot South there was confusion and the exercise was postponed.
“They later failed to agree after they had informed us that they had reached a consensus,” she said.
She noted that one of the aspirants said that they had not agreed.
On Wednesday chaotic scenes were witnessed at Baptist Church where the United Democratic Alliance UDA party had settled as their main tallying center.
The chaos which started at night saw a number of agents and tallying clerks complaining of missing ballot boxes after they had turned out to collect them.
It’s alleged that boxes meant for Weiwei, Endough, Lelan and Tapach wards were missing with no official giving an explanation of what was going on.
One of the nominated Member of County Assembly Eunice Andiema who is also vying for UDA Mnagei ward MCA complained of unfair nominations.
She alleged that some of the Kapenguria CDF office officials were after rigging the nomination elections.
She said she won’t accept the nominations to go on until when it will be fair, threatening to burn the ballot boxes.
“They have said there is a candidate who should get the certificate by force. I will burn the ballot boxes. No nominations,” she said
Alfred Plimo a UDA MCA Aspirant in Riwo ward said there were rigging claims but they are following up on the allegations.
Nominated MCA who is also the Mnagei ward aspirant of UDA party Elijah Kashesheu popularly known as Ozil accused a section of leaders in the county from other parties for bribing voters to vote against him.
“We have seen some people dishing out cash at night and talking ill of me,” he said.