Kenya: Today’s Party Nominations – Parties unable to keep time disappoint voters

• BY JACK MARWA

Anxiety has gripped Gilgil and Naivasha constituencies after the much touted TNA nominations failed to kick-off in time.

Confusion, finger-pointing and rumor mongering became the order of day as five hours down the line the exercise was yet to start.

In Naivasha hundreds of flower farm workers who had turned early left a disappointed-lot after it emerged that the exercise could be delayed.

Security was heightened in the town and in all the 67 polling stations into the two constituencies.

A parliamentary aspirant John Kihagi said that the delay could affect the outcome of the nomination saying that they deserved a credible exercise.

“We are calling on the voters to be peaceful and challenging TNA to come clean on the delay which is causing unnecessary tension in the area,” he said.

A flower farm worker Mary Muiruri said that they had arrived in KANU grounds at 6am and had been forced to leave after waiting for over two hours.

The sentiments were echoed by another worker Joseph Gitau who said admitted that they could not wait any longer and had decided to return back to their work place.

“We have given up waiting and we have to return to our work place as there are no indications of this exercise starting any time soon,” he said.

Speaking on phone, TNA election coordinator in Naivasha Reverend Cosmas Kinyanjui said that he was holed up in Nakuru waiting for the materials.

“We slept in Nakuru waiting for the materials and we have been told to be patient as the TNA headquarters works on the problem,”

A visit to various polling stations into the two constituencies found idle youths loitering around as armed police kept vigil.

ODM is not conducting its nominations into the two constituencies.

Ends.

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