Naivasha MP Jayne Kihara won UDA primaries by a vote, dispute team rules

The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party has handed Naivasha MP Jayne Kihara a lifeline days after the party declared former MP John Kihangi the winner of the party nomination held on Thursday 14th April.

In a dramatic turn of events, the party withdrew a certificate it had issued to Kihangi while announcing Kihara the winner of the poll.

According to the party's dispute resolution committee, Ms. Kihara garnered 9904 votes against Mr. Kihangi's 9903.

Prior to filing a complaint, Ms Kihara had lost to Mr Kihangi, who had won the ticket in the first round with 9,903 votes.

In it's Sunday ruling, the committee, said it had discovered that results from Maua Primary School and Millimani Secondary School polling stations had been excluded when Mr Kihangi was declared the winner.

In the two stations, Ms Kihara bagged  57 and 23 votes, respectively, while Mr Kihangi received 35 and 16 votes.

"In the end, the committee finds that based on the figures above which were also affirmed by the second respondent, Jayne Wanjiru Kihara obtained the highest number of votes. As such she ought to have been declared the validly nominated candidate," a ruling from the committee reads. 

"In the upshot, the order that commends itself is an order directing the second respondent to forthwith issue a nomination certificate to Jayne Wanjiru Kihara, the duly nominated Member of National Assembly (MNA) for Naivasha Constituency in Nakuru County. Each party shall bear its costs."

While appearing before the committee Ms Kihara  accused her opponent of participating in transporting ballot materials to polling stations in violation of electoral law when she filed her complaint.

"This happened specifically in Rutere and Gituru polling centers where due to the logistical challenges initially experienced, the 1st respondent took over the transportation of ballot materials,” the ruling reads. 

The incumbent MP also claimed voter intimidation and that some polling stations conspired with her opponent to give him an unfair advantage.

The lawmaker also alleged  that the presiding officers at several polling stations conspired with her opponent to give him an unfair advantage.