PRESS STATEMENT
STATUS UPDATE ON THE ONGOING PARTY PRIMARIES
Currently, party primaries are being held in the Counties of Nyamira, Kajiado, Nakuru, TransNzoia and Taita Taveta.
We would like to report that the National Elections Board dispatched election materials to the above mentioned counties on time ahead of the exercise that kicked off today morning.
The party wishes to confirm that in most places, polling kicked off at 6:00am save for a few areas in TransNzoia, Taita Taveta and Nyamira Counties. In TransNzoia, only one (Saboti Constituency) of the five constituencies had late kick-off due to the mix-up in the distribution of ballot boxes. However the situation was addressed and voting has kicked off.
In Taita Taveta, there were media reports that some people attempted to raid the Mwatate CDF Hall where election material had been stored. We have since confirmed that indeed this happened, but security personnel moved in with speed and repelled them. We want to assure our members and aspirants that there was no destruction, the election material was not tampered with and it was distributed to polling stations where the exercise is going on smoothly.
In Kajiado County, voting began on time save for a few areas where vehicles transporting election material had difficulties in accessing polling centers in the interior of the County due to the heavy downpour in the area, the same applies to Nyamira County where it had been raining the whole night. Nonetheless, voting is underway.
In Kitengela Ward of Kajiado East, the vehicle transporting election material to St. Monica Polling Station got stuck in the mud due to the rains and in the process some ballot papers were taken away by some of the people who were helping the driver get the vehicle out of the mud. The National Elections Board has decided that voting in that particular polling station be called off and a new date will be announced. However, voting in the rest of the polling stations in the Ward is going on.
In Nakuru, the Board has learnt that the name of one of the aspirant for the MP position in Nakuru Town West has his name missing on the ballot paper. This is a technical hitch that the board regrets and therefore, election for the Member of the National Assembly’s position has been called off and a new date will be announced later in the day.
In Nyamira County, voting is going on in all the sub-counties. However, there had been questions on which register to be used in the exercise. The Board wishes to clarify to party members and aspirants that only the PARTY REGISTER is being used in the ongoing nominations exercise across the country.
We want to make it clear that Returning Officers and Presiding Officers have been instructed by the National Elections Board to ensure that this is adhered to and that nobody should be denied to vote as long as they have their Identity Cards and their names appearing in the register.
The IEBC register is only available for members to confirm their names and their polling stations.
The Board and the Party Secretariat shall keep monitoring the goings on in all the five counties and inform the public accordingly.
Thank you and God Bless you.
Hon. Judith Pareno Hon. (Dr.) Agnes Zani
Chairperson – NEB Ag. Secretary General
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