Narok minority group protests after nominee was listed as disabled
A section of minority groups allied to ODM addressing Journalists in Narok town on July 16,2022.They claimed that the name they had fronted for the party nomination was shortchanged
A group of minority communities allied to the Orange Democratic Movement(ODM) have threatened to quit the party after their MCA-nominee was shortchanged.
The Narok County Minority Forum claimed that the name of their MCA-nominee, Mr Olik Kilunga Ajenga, was allegedly removed from the minority group to the disabled category yet he has no disability.
Led by its chair, Mr Maurice Owinga, Mr Benson Nzioki (treasurer), Nicodemus Omboga (coordinator), Mr Joab Otipi (youth rep) and Ms Agnes Wandera (woman rep), the group also threatened to boycott the August 9 elections.
"We had selected one of us for the ODM nomination but we were shocked when the IEBC nomination list came out. Our nominee was put in the disabled category yet he has no disability," said Mr Owenga.
He called on the party to restore Mr Ajenga's name in the minority category or they would ditch the party.
For his part, Mr Omboga threatened to mobilise 70,000 members of minority communities in the county to boycott the elections.
"The nominee was set to represent our interests but we are saddened that we have been shortchanged. We sense betrayal since we had hopes in him as we have not had a representative for the last 10 years," Mr Omboga lamented.
Mr Otipi, the youth representative, blamed some disgruntled party nomination losers for the standoff.
"Taking our nominee to the disabled category is an insult to those of us (minorities) who have stood with the party through thick and thin. If they don’t return the name to the minority category, we shall decamp from the party," he threatened.
Ms Wandera also said that minority women would also decline to turn up for voting if they fail to get their representative to the assembly.
"As women, we have numbers and all we want is part of the 30 percent reserved for the special groups in the Constitution," she said.
The group also called on ODM leaders, led by Narok governor candidate Mr Motalel ole Kenta and Senator Ledama ole Kina, to intervene and have their nominee’s name returned to the minority list.
