35 UDA nomination losers cleared for vying in August polls

About 35 losers in the UDA primaries from Mombasa County have been cleared by IEBC to run for various seats as independent candidates in the August 9^th polls.

Most of the candidates took the independent route after the party turned down their complaints of malpractices.

The 35 MCAs have also ganged up and fronted Mohammed Amir who is a brother to Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho as an independent candidate for the Senatorial seat.

All the losers insist the primaries were not free and fair and had been manipulated to favour winners.

They claimed the nominations were marred by massive irregularities and vote manipulation and accused Nyali MP Mohamed Ali and Former Senator Hassan Sarai of bungling the results.

Led by Mohammed Amir, the independent aspirants have urged electorates against voting along political party lines.

“We have sat with our electorates in Mombasa County and resolved to vie as independent candidates with their support and blessings for various elective posts,” Amir said.

The aspirants said they are yet to identify any Gubernatorial and Presidential candidate they will support.

“We are also scouting credible and sober candidate leaders in the elective posts of Gubernatorial, Women Representative and Members of Parliament from other political parties to work with and we are in discussion with various candidates,” Amir told journalists during the press conference in Mombasa.

Former Chairman of Mombasa UDA MCAs aspirants Aziz Mbuzi said as disgruntled lot who were ejected out of UDA through a well calculated political dubious plan of nomination malpractice during the primaries has not deterred their quest to serve their electorates in Mombasa County.

“We have soldiered on, determined to pursue our political ambitions till August 9 General Election,” Mbuzi said.

Joyce Awori Obengele, now an independent candidate for Shanzu ward said they were a frustrated lot after their names were omitted as candidates in the UDA party register.

“We have taken recourse to restore hope to our people, we officially registered as  independent candidates and we call upon our supporters to have unwavering support to the noble course,” she said.