Kabarnet: The final day of Independence Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) clearance of Baringo senatorial candidates was marred with chaos as UDA Party candidate Vincent Chemitei presented his papers. This is due to confusion after KANU candidate Gideon Moi failed to appear for clearance in the process that was presided over by IEBC County Returning Officer John Mwangi at the Kabarnet Vocational Rehabilitation Center.
According to Kenya News Agency, supporters of the KANU chairman who had thronged Kabarnet town in large numbers waited for him to show up for the verification and clearance process which was to start by 11 am but were kept in the dark till 3 pm when it was the turn of the UDA candidate. The irate protestors who were chanting pro-Moi slogans within the streets of Kabarnet town made it difficult for a chopper carrying Chemitei and four other legislators Benard Kitur (Nandi Hills), Timothy Kipchumba (Marakwet West), Adams Kipsanai (Keiyo North), and Joseph Lelmengit (Emgwen) who had accompanied him to land, forcing it to land five kilometers away from the town.
Chemitei was however eventually cleared under tight security after attempts to access the institution by road became futile as goons were pelting stones on his convoy, even damaging windscreens. Meanwhile, elected UDA party parliamentarians from Baringo failed to accompany the senatorial candidate amidst simmering division amongst them, which arose immediately after the hotly contested nomination exercise which some of the leaders claimed was marred by malpractices.
Speaking after he was handed the clearance certificate in the presence of IEBC Chairman Erastus Ethekon who had toured the county, Chemitei said he will embark on reconciling the two camps before engaging in official campaigns ahead of the November 27 by-election. He noted that despite the ugly scenes, the county largely remains peaceful and hopes that it will remain the same even after the mini poll.
Six out of ten candidates were cleared by IEBC to contest for the seat which fell vacant following the passing on of the incumbent William Cheptumo in February this year.