The long-awaited replacement to the late formidable MP Ken Okoth will be known later today.
The Kibra mini-poll voting day is here and by evening we shall known who among the 24 candidates will continue the good work that Ken Okoth started.
It is hard to fill his shoes but let's wait and see. Why the By-election? Former MP Ken Okoth died of cancer complications in July and as per the laws of Kenya, a replacement should come in within a specified peprid of time.
Ken will be remembered by Kenyans for being the best and transparent in using Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
Before his death Ken had built and rehabilitated schools (some like Mbagathi High School from scratch), a feat never undertaken by any Member of the National assembly in recent times. He was in a class of his own. Kibra Candidates in no particular order Here is the list of the candidates battling out for the seat in no particular order, though three have been in the limelight than the others, these are: Bernard Otieno Okoth (ODM), MacDonald Mariga (Jubilee) and Eliud Owalo (ANC).
The 24 candidates IEBC cleared for the contest are: Anaciet Dorn (DP), Martin Andati (Modern Alliance Party), Felix Anditi (Independent), Ibrahim Kimorko (Roots Party), Kassim Abdul (The New Democrats), Titus Mutinda (Republican Liberty Party), Fridah Kerubo (Independent), Khamisi Butichi (Ford Kenya), Mathew Musyoka (Independent), Jared Nyakundi (National Liberal Party), Elijah Nyamwamu (National Rainbow Coalition – Kenya), Editar Ochieng’ (Ukweli Party). Emmanuel Owiti (Green Congress), David Odanga (Independent), Isaac Ogongo (Justice and Freedom party), Fransco Ojiambo (Party of Democratic Unity), Shedrack Omondi (I), Benard Imran Okoth (ODM), Shem Ocharo (Munngano), Abraham Okoth (Independent), Eliud Owalo (ANC), Hamida Musa (United Green Movement), McDonald Mariga (Jubilee) and Noah Migudo (Independent). Voter register The issue of voter register has rocked this by-election since the campaigns started.
ODM Party had claimed that the electoral body Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) was planning to rig the elections and that they should publish the voter register so as to be scrutinized before the mini-poll to avoid missing names.
ODM later went to anniversary towers where IEBC offices are located and held a meeting with the chairman Wafula Chebukati.
IEBC published the voter register numbers, revealing that there are 118,658 registered voters in Kibra constituency. The IEBC said Laini Saba has 17,455 voters, Lindi 16,688, Makina 25,695, Woodley/ Kenyatta Golf Course 28,066 and Sarangombe 30,754.
Yesterday, ODM which had moved to court was to compel IEBC to give it the register, in the evening admitted that they had received the voter register. 'We now have the register. Full with all the details we requested for. The IEBC has complied with the court order this afternoon', the ODM Party Director of Communications Philip Etale posted. Chaos The issue of violence were minimal.
However, one time Jubilee side accused ODM of violence and wanted action to be taken against Imran Okoth ,the ODM party candidate but IEBC rubbished the claims.
ODM on the other hand had accused Jubilee of voter buying.
In the two instances, IEBC took no action against the offending parties. Conclusion In the end then, let's have a sane person taking over from where Ken Okoth left.