Nandi Hills MP Keter to vie as an independent candidate after party revokes victory » Capital News

NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 25-Nandi Hills MP Alfred Keter will now defend his seat as an independent candidate having lost the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) in the concluded party primaries.

UDA nullified Keter’s victory citing malpractices in the nominations conducted on 19^th April 2022.

The party’s tribunal on the complaint filed by his competitor Benard Kitur revoked the victory saying he had proved beyond reasonable doubt that the nominations were marred with irregularities and illegalities.

On his Facebook account, Keter accepted the decision made by the party’s tribunal though he maintained that he was victimized by the whole process.

“I accepted the decision of the party even though I believe that I was victimized without any justifiable reason whatsoever. I was welcomed to the UDA by the Secretary General Veronica Maina and one of the founders of the party, Hon Rigathi Gachagua. I was registered, paid the nomination fees and given a go ahead to contest for Nandi Hills MP UDA ticket. I say, thank you,” he said.

The incumbent Nandi Hills legislator is now contemplating exiting the William Ruto led party and chart his own path as an independent candidate.

“After wide consultations with my family members, legal team and supporters, I have decided to run for MP, Nandi Hills constituency on an INDEPENDENT ticket,”Keter noted.

According to the stipulated timelines by Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) political aspirants have until May 2^nd to register themselves as independent candidates.

Keter has been at loggerheads with DP Ruto for a long time due to his previous hard stances on the presidential hopeful.

The frosty relationship between the two previously is taunted to be what has precipitated to him losing the UDA ticket which is regarded as a halfway victory in the August 9^th political battle.

Even then, Keter aid he will campaign for DP Ruto in the 2022 statehouse race despite the UDA party nullifying his victory.

“That notwithstanding, I wish to pledge my loyalty to the Deputy President William Ruto. I will passionately campaign and support his presidential bid. I will also align my agenda with that of UDA and Kenya Kwanza coalition as a whole, that is “Kazi ni kazi, BOTTOM-UP, Pesa mfukoni,” he stated.

In the results, Keter garnered 10,363 votes against his closest challenger Kitur who got 7,468 votes.

In his petition, Kitur raised a number of issues detailing how the nomination exercise was marred by irregularities.

“The nomination was marred by irregularities and illegalities which negatively impacted the outcome of the entire nomination process; that there was widespread violence during the nominations; that the entire nomination was a sham,” he said.

In their ruling, the Committee members Collins Kiprono, Mary Mungai and Adrian Kamotho Njenga agreed with the petition noting that it has merit.

“We have considered the various submissions made by parties and the evidence before us. We are convinced beyond doubt that the allegations substantially affected the results and impeached the integrity of the outcome,” they said.