Wiper’s Machakos governor nominations, which are being repeated, started hours late on Saturday after aspirant Bernard Kiala caused drama over ballot boxes.
The exercise to settle a dispute between Wavinya Ndeti and Deputy Governor won began at about 12.30pm.
National Elections Board chairperson Agatha Solitei said Kiala stormed a hotel and tried to disrupt the dispatch of ballot boxes.
“Kiala stormed Gracia Hotel where the ballot boxes were kept, not Wiper offices,” she said. “But voting has now started at some polling centers, mostly in Mavoko constituency.”
Voting materials were also availed late at some of the polling stations.
The Political Parties Disputes Tribunal ordered fresh primaries after Kiala raised complaints.
Ndeti won the nomination with 299,312 votes against his 4,663 but he had obtained a court order barring Wiper from conducting the primaries since the party and Ndeti’s Chama Cha Uzalendo agreed that she should get the ticket.
He said the party hurriedly conducted the primaries on April 30, a day after the order was issued, and did not give him an opportunity to participate in the exercise.
The DG also said Ndeti was not a member of Wiper at the time of her nomination but the tribunal ruled she was a valid member.
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