Inside Meru ward with longest ballot paper in Kenya
19,000 voters of Muthara Ward in Tigania East are choosing a ward representative out of 27 candidates.
What you need to know:
- 19,000 voters of Muthara Ward in Tigania East are choosing a ward representative out of 27 candidates.
- Out of the 27 candidates, 10 are independent while 17 are sponsored by political parties.
As 19,000 voters of Muthara Ward in Tigania East, Meru, walk into their respective polling stations today, they will be choosing a ward representative out of 27 candidates.
According to data from the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), Muthara Ward has the highest number of candidates seeking the Member of County Assembly (MCA) seats in the country.
There are 1,450 wards in Kenya.
Muthara is followed by Maua ward in Meru, Kimilili and Ndivisi wards in Bungoma, Kwanza in Trans Nzoia with 24 contestants each.
Out of the 27 candidates facing off in Muthara, 10 are independent while 17 are sponsored by political parties.
This means every village in the ward, which covers 306 square kilometres, has a candidate aspiring to be MCA.
Muthara at a glance
Muthara covers part of the lower semi-arid zone of Tigania East constituency, stretching to the Isiolo-Moyale road bordering Isiolo county.
The ward's economic mainstay includes livestock rearing as well as tea and coffee farming.
Insecurity, water shortage, and a poor road network among others are the biggest challenges faced by residents.
The ward is currently led by Mr Kinyua Turibu who was elected on the Kenya Patriots Party (KPP) ticket in 2017.
Ms Georgina Kauna, a resident, called on the IEBC to intensify voter education to avert confusion on the ballot.
Ms Phoebe Munya receives the longest ballot in Kenya at Nchuui polling station in Tigania East Meru. Muthara ward has the highest number of MCA candidates at 27.
“It will be very confusing for the voters because the ballot paper will be too long,” Ms Kauna said.
According to Mr Turibu, who is facing fierce opposition from 26 candidates, Muthara has been a hotbed of Meru and national politics.
Notable politicians
He says the rise of firebrand politicians like the late Mau Mau war veteran Field Marshal Musa Mwariama, second liberation luminary Ntai wa Nkuraru, Green African Party leader Geoffrey M'Mwereria (who was the first Meru politician to vie for presidency in 1997) and Agriculture CS Peter Munya, all who hail from Muthara, has enhanced political consciousness in the area.
“All these politicians rose from humble backgrounds to become national figures. This has inspired many young people with political ambitions. Indeed, many young people from Muthara hone their leadership skills in universities through the student unions," Mr Turibu said.
Mr Kubai Mamira, a resident, agrees that the fact that Muthara has produced firebrand politicians like CS Munya gives many young people the confidence to venture into politics.
“There are three motivating factors, first it is the high political consciousness in the ward, joblessness and frustrations among the young leaders who feel the incumbent has not performed. This calls for voters to up their game in picking the right leader,” Mr Mamira said.
Mr Turibu, who beat 12 others in 2017, also says the ward has a history of electing leaders by looking at their abilities rather than financial muscle.
“For instance in 2017, I spent only Sh500,000 on my campaigns. The youth feel they have a chance because there are no big demands from the electorate,” the MCA says.
He however adds that some of his competitors are in the race because several 2017 election losers got jobs after the election.
Challenges
Mr Aurelio Murangiri, a PNU candidate and Martin Munene, an independent candidate, both agree that poor leadership has inspired many youths to vie for elective seats.
“More than 20 people have been killed along the border with Isiolo yet our leaders have been mute. We lack leadership and this is the gap many of us want to fill,” Mr Murangiri says.
The same sentiments are echoed by Democratic Party (DP) candidate for Muthara Ward Bernard Thuranira, who is also the oldest among the 27 candidates at 45 years.
“Muthara has unique challenges of insecurity, drought and poverty yet there are many educated young people. Some of us are pushed by the need to bring change but there is also a good number who want to increase their chances of being hired after the election,” Mr Thuranira says.
Mr Thinkii Mucheke, the Njuri Ncheke chairman, expresses concern that the high number of candidates is likely to force residents into voting along clan lines.
“It is surprising how we even got there. If we are not careful, we may elect the worst leader because of the confusion caused by the long list. There is a need for our people to be very careful on who they choose,” Mr Mucheke said.
The MCA seat has attracted 569 candidates across the 45 wards of Meru County with Athwana Ward having the least number of contestants at three.
