The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has cleared all the four aspirants for the by-election in Ganda Ward of Kilifi County.
The Returning Officer, Jumaa Musa on Monday approved the nomination of Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party’s, Reuben Mwamure Katana and David Mitsanze of Kadu Asili party. Mitsanze arrived conspicuously alone aboard a motorcycle at the IEBC offices for clearance while all other contenders arrived accompanied by their suporters.
On Tuesday, Musa cleared Abdulrahman Omar Mohamed, who is defending his seat as an independent candidate and Joseph Ngumbao Kiponda of the Jubilee Party.
Mohamed alias Abdhere, who was sent away on Monday to look for authentic signatures returned to the IEBC offices at 8.00 am Tuesday and was cleared within minutes before walking away without addressing the media.
Kiponda, who is fondly referred to as Joseppe, was cleared at about noon Tuesday and immediately urged his supporters to remain calm during the campaign period and desist from politics of hatred and insults.
Kiponda’s supporters urged Jubilee Party’s National officials led by the Party Leader, President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy Party Leader, Deputy President, William Ruto to throw their weight behind the party candidate and ignore a candidate being fronted by Malindi MP, Aisha Jumwa.
They specifically asked Dr. Ruto to go to Ganda and campaign for the Jubilee Party candidate, Kiponda, saying his actions or inaction during the campaign period would determine whether to continue supporting him in his presidential bid in 2022 or not.
Jumwa, who is the DP’s right hand person in Malindi, is supporting former incumbent Abdul Omara Mohamed, whose election victory was quashed by the courts, and has vowed to teach her Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party a lesson for attempting to discipline her for supporting the DP.
On their part, ODM officials and supporters have vowed to use the Ganda by-election to send Jumwa to political oblivion.
By Emmanuel Masha
