The national assembly majority leader and Garissa Township MP Aden Duale now wants all future party primaries to be conducted by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
Duale who was addressing elders and representatives of 18 sub-clans who endorsed him to defend his seat at a Garissa hotel today said the just concluded primaries by major political parties showed that the parties do not have the capacity to conduct the nominations.
The majority leader who was reacting to the bungled party primaries that were marred with violence, manipulations, bribery and outright theft said that parliament should enact laws that will empower IEBC to carry out party primaries at least three or six months before an election.
“In the long run, parliament in its wisdom should come up with laws that will empower IEBC to carry out party primaries. This is because of the enormous logistics and resources required for the primaries,” he said.
The majority leader however claimed that Jubilee carried out free, fair and credible nominations despite the huge number of petitions filed by unsatisfied aspirants to the party tribunal.
So far there are more that 500 petitions being handled by the party tribunal. The same applies to ODM, where a number of cases are being handled by the same body.
“Despite the huge number of complains, we are sure that the cases will be disposed off within the shortest time possible,” Duale said. He said while running as an independent candidate is provided for in the law, the Jubilee party will carry the day in its strong holds.
Duale said that this time round the much talked about tyranny of numbers will be another ‘tyranny of tyranny of numbers’. “I anticipate that Jubilee will have more than 200 members out of the 290 in the 12thparliament and over 30 senators in the senate,” he said.
He said that starting next week; the Jubilee coalition will launch a serious campaign where they will present to Kenyans their score card. He scoffed at the recently formed NASA coalition where Raila Odinga will be the presidential candidate and Wiper leader being his running mate.
He rubbished positions given to ANC party leader Musalia Mudavadi, Ford Kenya Moses Wetangula and Chama Cha Mashinani Isaac Ruto which he said were not provided for in the constitution.
Duale alleged that money changed hands and Kalonzo, Musalia, Wetangula and Ruto were bribed into accepting the positions. “We know who financed the deal. It’s not about the line-up but personal interest of the principals that carried the day,” he said.