Written By Ramadhan Kambi 📝
The just concluded United Democratic Alliance(UDA) party primaries in the country has left a bad taste to some aspirants in Kilifi county.
Now a section of the aspirants in Kilifi County has faulted the process which was used by the party to deny some areas nomination process.
They said it was unfair for supporters who had planned to choose their aspirants in the ongoing nominations only to find polling centers closed while in some few areas there were nominations.
Led by Shihabdin Ahmed Alias Din a UDA aspirant from Malindi town ward he wondered why Malindi town and Shella wards there were no nominations while Kakuyuni and Watamu wards there were nominations.
Speaking in Malindi, he said that his supporters had gathered at the Central Primary school polling station from morning on the voting day only to find that there was no nomination.
He said the UDA head office ought to have canceled the entire process of nomination instead of just a few.
He said Malindi belonged to one community but there are some leaders who have become tribal to divide people on tribal grounds.
“It’s sad we sat with the party officials who sent returning officers to plan, ballot materials and boxes were ready then we were called for an interview last week after spending all the investments for the campaign this is a plan to prevent some aspirants from exercise their democratic rights,” he said.
Ahmed declared that he would ditch the party and run as an independent candidate if action is not taken by the top officials of choosing an aspirant.
“By April 15 if I do not get feedback from the party I will vie as an independent candidate and will go with my supporters,” he said.
Nancy Njeri a supporter of UDA in Malindi said they were angered by the move to stop the nomination exercise in Malindi town ward and called on the DP William Ruto to intervene.
She said they abandoned all their duties to wake up early so as to vote for the leaders of their choice only to come and see there was no nomination.
“As UDA members we have our own rights to choose the aspirants we want, we are aga9nst the move by the party to make choices for us, we have decided our aspirant is Shihabdin and no one else,” she said.
Njeri also told Ruto to intervene as the situation is going to affect the unity of the party because of the manner in which they handled the nominations.
Others who expressed their anger about being denied to take part in the nominations are Jimmy Kimani Sheila Wamboi and Denis Lombo who all said they are not happy with the decision to hold nominations in just a few areas in Kilifi County.
