Jubilee nomination exercise in West Pokot County has been marred by chaos over missing ballot papers and delaying of voting materials. Aspirants have been left stranded as County party officials have failed to explain the confusion in the exercise.
Earlier today, chaos was witnessed at Makutano Stadium polling center where ballot papers for MCA were missing and residents accused the party of staging poor preparations. The exercise was disrupted for over one hour as police engaged residents and party officials.
Some aspirants have called on the national party secretariat to declare the exercise null and void.
Speaking after casting his vote at Siyoi Primary school at 11am, West Pokot Governor Simon Kachapin accused the national secretariat of lack of proper preparation for the party primaries.
“Tuju and his team have failed the party and should carry the cross. This is a total mess and we hope someone will be charged,” he said.
Kachapin said that the party had enough funds to procure election materials for the primaries. “Aspirants had paid nomination fees to facilitate party nominations but what is happening now is a total mess,” he said. Kachapin faulted Jubilee County officials for not performing according to the expectations.
He said that some far flung areas in the County have not yet received election materials due to the poor terrain in the area.
“The party had enough logistics. It should have organized for the materials to arrive at the centers a day before. Areas like Kalapata, Kotit, Kerich, Loyapong, Ptoyo, Turkwel and Keringet have been affected,” he said.
He urged the party leadership to crack the whip on those who have messed the exercise. “Tuju should tell us what has gone wrong. Jubilee is the leading, popular party,” he said.
West gubernatorial aspirant Wilson Koringura who casted his vote at Makutano stadium polling center at noon said many people will be locked out of the exercise due to lack of ballot papers.
A Jubilee official in the County, Mrs Esther Cheption regretted that aspirants have invested heavily in the exercise but the party has failed them.
However the nomination exercise in some polling centers like Kapkoris, Tilak, Chewoyet and Siyoi went on peaceful.
Elsewhere in Sigor Consituency the party was forced to use the queue style for the parliamentary seat after the election materials failed to arrive .
One of the residents, Mr. Musa Tekelezi, said that they have waited from dawn but the materials were missing.
KANU primaries went on well in most polling centers despite low turn out at polling stations.