Campaigns ahead of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party nominations for the Emurua Dikirr parliamentary seat left vacant by former Member of Parliament Johana Ng’eno have gained momentum, with two candidates bowing out of the race.
In a developing realignment and bid to secure the seat, key allies of the former MP have come together and settled on one candidate—Bernard Ng’eno, a former personal assistant to the late legislator—as their flag bearer.
It comes as National Election Board (NEB) chairman Anthony Mwaura assured candidates and residents that the nominations will be free and fair.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has set May 14 for the by-election in the constituency, which has 44,447 voters and 94 polling stations. The commission says the poll will cost Sh59 million.
Two of the candidates—Ezra Sawe (an employee of the Narok County Government) and Bernard Rono (an administrator at the Narok County Government)—officially withdrew from the contest after a consultative meeting at a Sierra Hotel in Bomet town on Saturday, which lasted over six hours.
Mr Ng’eno is now set to face off in the UDA nominations on March 27 against the widow of the former MP, Ms Nayianoi Ng’eno, businessman David Keter, police officer Kibet Rotich, and Joseph Kiprono Koech, an accountant.
The by-election has been occasioned by the death of area MP Johana Ng’eno in a helicopter crash at Chepkiep village, Mosop Constituency, Narok County, on February 28.
Mr George Were (pilot), Nick Kosgei (photojournalist), Amos Kipngetich Rotich (an officer with the Kenya Forest Service), Carlos Robert Kibet Keter (a teacher), and Wycliff Kiprotich Rono (a protocol officer at the Narok County Government) died in the crash.
On Saturday, Mr Ng’eno said he was grateful for the support he received from Mr Rono and Mr Sawe, who were close allies of the former MP.
“We have a huge responsibility as people who were close to our former MP to bring his supporters together and ensure that the parliamentary seat is delivered so that we can complete the projects he started,” Mr Ng’eno told journalists at a briefing in Bomet.
Flanked by Mr Sawe, Mr Rono, and several of their supporters, Mr Ng’eno said there was a lot that the people expected from the team the MP had left to steer the affairs of the constituency and oversee development projects.
“Our coming together as candidates is through a process driven by Emurua Dikirr constituents, who demanded that we pick one of us as a flag bearer in the nomination.
The onus to carry the flag has fallen on my shoulders, and I appeal to our supporters to conduct house-to-house campaigns and ensure we deliver the seat,” Mr Ng’eno said.
Mr Sawe said: “I have shelved my ambitions to be the MP of the area and backed Mr Ng’eno, whom we believe has the ability to take forward the agenda started by our former legislator with our support.”
“The voters have repeatedly asked candidates to agree on a single candidate so as to have a solid voting bloc. We have settled on Mr Ng’eno, and we are now moving to rally the people behind him,” Mr Sawe added.
Mr Rono said that although he had been picked by the Kapkaon clan of the former MP, he had decided to withdraw his candidature in the spirit of unity following consultations with various stakeholders.
Mr Anthony Mwaura, the UDA National Election Board chairman, held a meeting with candidates at Kuresok Empowerment Hall at Emurua Dikirr Centre. He said the elections will be held in primary schools classified as IEBC polling stations.
“I am here with the Principal Secretary for Basic Education, Professor Julius Bitok, to ensure that schools will be released for the UDA party nomination process,” Mr Mwaura said.
“We have put in place all the required measures to ensure the nomination process is democratic, free, and fair. The people of Emurua Dikirr will be given the opportunity to pick a candidate of their choice,” he added.
Mr Mwaura said the party has no preferred candidate and that outside interference will not be allowed.
“We have express instructions from party leader and President William Ruto to ensure that the will of the people is respected,” he said.
Elkerin Ward Member of the County Assembly Ezekiel Korir has, however, rallied behind Mr Keter in the by-election, saying he has shelved his ambitions for the future.
“After losing to the late Ng’eno in the past two general elections, I am confident that I will be elected by the people of Emurua Dikirr as his successor so that I can complete the pending projects and initiate new ones,” Mr Keter said.
Emurua Dikirr Constituency in Narok County, in the South Rift Valley region, has four wards—Ilkerin, Mogondo, Kapsasian, and Ololmasani.
The late Ng’eno had represented Emurua Dikirr in Parliament for three consecutive terms and was the first MP of the constituency established in 2013.
