Fourth time lucky for two in 20-year search for seats

Francis Sigei

Former Nairobi Provincial Commissioner Francis Sigei (left) and Mr Richard Yegon.

Photo credit: Vitalis Kimutai | Nation Media Group

Two United Democratic Alliance (UDA) parliamentary nominees in the South Rift region embody the true fighting spirit of a politician and the people’s reward for resilience in the face of defeat.

After three failed attempts to secure party tickets for parliamentary seats in Bomet County, former Nairobi Provincial Commissioner Francis Sigei and Mr Richard Yegon, a senior manager at Ethiopian Airlines, made it in their fourth attempt and have one last hurdle to the seats.

Mr Sigei beat Sotik MP Dominic Koskei in the UDA primaries and will now fly the party’s flag in the August 9 General Election, after 20 years of attempts.

Ballot stuffing

He contested against former Governor Joyce Laboso twice for the parliamentary seat but lost both times in the nominations, and then lost to Mr Koskei ahead of the 2017 polls, before securing the coveted UDA ticket in the fourth attempt.

However, it won’t be an easy road for the career administrator and former High Commissioner to Nigeria as he has to face off with Mr Koskei, a first-term MP, who will run as an independent candidate, and Mrs Emily Sawe the Chama Cha Mashinani (CCM) party candidate.

Mr Sigei got 14,085 votes against Mr Koskei’s 13,014 who has disputed the results on claims of ballot stuffing. He claims that in polling stations around the area his opponent hails from, the nomination was marred by irregularities.

“Nowhere in the world, not even in a General Election, leave alone party nominations, can there be almost 100 per cent voter turnout in any polling station or region.

Allegedly rigged out

We’re aware that while we played by the book in the nomination rules, my competitor engaged in malpractices,” Mr Koskei alleged. But Mr Sigei insists that he beat the MP in the Jubilee Party primaries in 2017 but was allegedly rigged out.

“This time round, the people have rewarded me for the four times I’ve vied for the [seat for Parliament] and humbly accepted to move on even when I was unfairly edged out,” he said.

The former administrator had repeatedly defied his supporters’ calls to give up the Sotik seat and contest for another elective position in the county.

“I’ve persistently and consistently vied in the nomination because of my resolve to lead and change the development narrative in Sotik constituency. People have asked me to go for the Senate seat, but I’ve declined because I’m focused on addressing poverty in the area,” Mr Sigei said in an interview.

Creating an enabling environment for investors, especially in agro-processing, would alleviate poverty in the region and create jobs for the youth, he said.

“We need to embrace value addition in the agricultural sector to enable farmers to earn maximum profits from their investment. It’s the only way [to boost] the local economy,” Mr Sigei said.

Mr Yegon vied against current Bomet East MP Beatrice Kones in the 2008 by-election on an Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party ticket and in 2012 under the United Republican Party (URP) nomination, but both lost to Mr Bernard Bett. In the 2017 Jubilee nomination, he alongside Mr Bett, lost to Mrs Kones, who made a comeback. Mrs Kones will not run in August.

“I’m grateful to the people of Bomet East for rallying behind my candidature in the UDA primaries. I’m calling upon them to turn up in large numbers in the General Election and vote for me as their next MP,” Mr Yegon said.

He had caused quite a stir in the region ahead of the nomination by threatening to relocate from his village should he fail for the fourth time in a row to secure the party ticket in the primaries.

“I’ve repeatedly sought to represent you. I’ve been very faithful ... if you don’t vote for me this time round, I’ll relocate my home [at Kipyosit village in Tegat,Kembu ward],” Mr Yegon said in the video while speaking in vernacular.

‘Death beckoning’

A few weeks later, he was at it again, saying, running for the seat was a matter of life and death. “If I lose the ticket, it will not any longer be about relocating, but I see death beckoning…please don’t let me down,” Mr Yegon said in another video.

He was repeatedly captured kneeling before large crowds as he campaigned in what is said to have tugged at the hearts of voters, who rallied behind him.

Mr Yegon got 11,077, Mr Rolex Sirmah came second with 7,753 votes, Mr Kevin Kalya got 2,075 votes while Mr Bett got 665 votes.

 “It’s unfortunate that Bomet East is the least developed constituency in Bomet County with bad roads, schools lacking teachers, health facilities far apart and without medics and drugs,” Mr Yegon said, adding, residents are tired of recycling leaders who had no development track record to talk of in the years they’ve been at the helm.