Jubilee and Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) have locked horns over campaigns for the Bonchari parliamentary by-election scheduled for May 18 over claims of use of State agencies in favour of the ruling party candidate.
Despite working together courtesy of the March 9, 2018 ‘handshake’ between their leaders – President Uhuru Kenyatta and Mr Raila Odinga, they have now clashed over the Bonchari mini poll in which they are the front runners.
Jubilee Party is behind former legislator Zebedeo Opore while ODM has fronted former Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (Epra) Director-General Mr Pavel Oimeke.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) cleared 13 candidates, including Ms Teresa Bitutu of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), which is linked to Deputy President William Ruto. Ms Butitu is the widow of Bonchari MP Oroo Oyioka.
Bonchari by-elections: Former MP’s widow cleared to vie by IEBC
The misunderstanding between Jubilee and ODM has reached the IEBC desk with the latter’s Executive Director, Mr Oduor Ong’wen, accusing the ruling party of deploying “State's administrative and security agencies” to campaign for Mr Opore.
In a protest letter to IEBC chair Mr Wafula Chebukati, dated May 6 and received by the commission the following day, Mr Ong’wen accuses the State’s administrative agencies and security personnel of plotting to “adversely influence a free, fair and democratic electoral process”.
“The national government administrators at the county level, led by the Kisii county commissioner and chiefs, have, in an overt manner, converted themselves into campaign agents of the Jubilee candidate Zebedeo Opore,” Mr Ong’wen’s letter states.
He also linked the recent arrest of Riana MCA Vincent Moisabi to abn alleged wider scheme to intimidate the ODM brigade.
Mr Ong’wen stated that on May 4, 2021, Mr Zebedeo Onditi Ntabo, the assistant chief of Bogitaa Sub-location told the people of Bonchari to vote for Mr Opore, “the State candidate”. He said the administrator spoke at a funeral in Mugoga within Riana Ward
In his letter, which was accompanied by photographs and clips, Mr Ong’wen claims the administrator in his address stated that; “…the government is the one that brings roads and electricity. To us as the government office, when we’ve been asked to support the government, we need to tell you that the government has a candidate in the forthcoming by-election.”
“My plea to you is to support the candidate. I know you know the candidate the government supports. Isn’t it so? Which is the government party? The candidate from the government side is the chosen one and should be supported,” the assistant chief is quoted as saying.
On Sunday, ODM’s National Treasurer Timothy Bosire, who is leading the party’s campaigns in Bonchari, said a team of government officials, including some parastatal chiefs from Kisii, had been mobilised by a senior government official to campaign for Mr Opore.
“They have gone there with government resources to influence the voters by all means,” Mr Bosire told the Nation, even as the party further alleged plans to influence the transfer of the constituency’s tallying centre from the traditional Suneka Baraza Hall to an ungazetted zone of Igonga Secondary School.
ODM, in its complaint to the IEBC, also noted that on May 5, the Nyanza Regional Coordinator and the Kisii county commissioner convened a meeting of chiefs and sub-chiefs at Kerina in Riana Ward, that was attended by the Jubilee party candidate, “dressed in full party campaign attire.”
“One wonders what the agenda of the meeting was and why only one candidate was invited to attend and address the chiefs to the exclusion of others,” Mr Ong’wen said.
“This brazen attitude and conduct of public officers only reinforces what many locals have intimated to be an endorsement by a senior public officer in the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government and elements within the National Police Service, who are actively engaged in these by-election campaigns.
He added that “it is a trite law that public officials, whilst discharging their duties, should do so in a manner that does not impair public confidence in the performance of their functions and duties”.
“We therefore demand application of Chapter 6 of the Constitution on leadership and integrity, the Public Officers Ethics Act: the Election Offences Act, and the Electoral Code of Conduct with a view to restore integrity, public confidence and sanity in the electoral process.”
Bonchari residents call for peaceful by-election
Jubilee Secretary-General Raphael Tuju said he was not privy to the ODM protest letter and denied claims of using State agents to campaign for the party’s candidate.
“How would we do that? I haven’t seen the letter but our party cannot, in any way, be involved in such activities,” Mr Tuju said.
Nyanza Regional Coordinator, Mr Magu Mutindika, denied the claims that security personnel were involved in the campaigns for the Jubilee candidate in Bonchari.
“It is true we went to Riana for the posting of a new assistant county commissioner. We were joined by the Jubilee candidate but did not campaign for him. That’s just politics,” Mr Mutindika told the Nation on the phone on Sunday.
He said Mr Opore wanted to speak to the gathering but that this happened after they had left the venue.
“If they (ODM) are overpowered, let them not blame us,” he added.
