Nine women have been cleared by Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to contest for the West Pokot Woman Representative seat in the August general elections. Independent candidates are Knight Chongorio and Rodah Rotino and Catherine Mukenyang (KANU), Emily Partan (NVP), Lilian Tomtom (Jubilee), Regina Nyeris (CCM), Brigit Chepkasan (ANC), Teresa Lokichu (PNU), Janice Plapan (ODM) will now face each other and they were optimistic to win the seat.
Makutano town was painted with different party colours as hundreds of women flocked the streets in celebrations after the nine candidates were cleared at Mtelo hall. The current Woman Representative Regina Nyeris who faces an uphill task to retain her seat was cleared on a CCM ticket after she decamped from Jubilee in April.
Catherine Mukenyang accompanied by her enthusiastic supporters, presented her papers to County Returning Officer Mr John Mwangi at Mtelo hall Kapenguria, and later she was cleared. Thereafter she led a procession through the town.
Speaking after being cleared, Mukenyang said her team would hit the ground running and promised to unleash a campaign never seen in the region. She added that the clearance by IEBC was an indicator she had what it takes to be a Woman Rep. in the region.
She called upon her supporters to maintain peace during the campaign period. “This is the first step towards winning this seat. We are now going to officially launch our campaign and go everywhere to seek votes,” she said.
KANU’s West Pokot chairman Monges Lotodo congratulated Mukenyang saying that they will popularize the party to be more strong and now the party had filled candidates in all the positions. “Our house is now full since our deputy arrived this morning from Texas, we are optimistic that Mrs Mukenyang will clinch the top seat and we urge voters to vote in KANU for change and development,” he said.
However, Mrs Rotino who was the first candidate to be cleared emphasized on peaceful campaigns. “Let’s do a good competition without spoiling other people names, let us stop abusive politics after elections will continue being neighbors,” she said.
Pokot South MP David Pkossing among other Jubilee supporters who accompanied Jubilee candidate Lilian Tomtom pointed out that the latest released Ipsos polls clearly indicate that President Uhuru Kenyatta is taking an early lead ahead of the August polls.
“Only two months remain before Kenyans decide,” he said, “Let’s support Jubilee’s re-election as I wait to present my papers on Thursday.”