Mombasa,KENYA:Mombasa residents have expressed mixed feelings over the ODM party primaries conducted on Saturday in all the six counties at the Coast
Speaking to Baraka fm on Monday, following claims from various aspirants that the polls were rigged in most parts of the coast, Abdulahi Ali a Likoni resident said it would have been better if the Independent and Electoral Boundaries Commission (IEBC) would have supervised the primaries a move he said political parties rejected.
Abdulahi noted that if IEBC would have supervised the overall exercise it would have determined how well it is prepared to handle the August elections insisting that most of the parties had a hidden agenda claiming that they had their own people they even before the nominations.
“It would have been better if IEBC would have supervised the primaries although political parties rejected the issue. If the IEBC would have supervised the whole exercise it would be fully prepared to conduct the August elections.” He said.
Wagatonye Junior a local added that the political parties do not reflect the will of the people but only express the wishes of certain government figures.
He explained that Kenyans have for a long time been divided along party lines thereby infringing democracy and the rule of law urging Kenyans to utilize their votes wisely in-order to kick out selfish politicians come the August elections.
“For many years the people of this country have been divided along political party lines infringing the democracy of the nation. Kenyans should use their single vote to kick out selfish politicians.” Wagatony explained.
On the other hand, Nyachae Junior a Mombasa resident said that every one has a right to complain if he or she is not satisfied with the outcome of the any poll.
He however accused political bigwigs of giving some politicians top slots even before nominations and claimed that by doing so the democracy of the nation is infringed.
At the same time, one of the residents who sought anonymity argued that some people do not naturally accept defeat at any given cost and adding that the nominations were unfair for many aspirants and wasted wasted most of peoples time. conducted.
“Naturally there are people who do not acknowledge defeat no matter the circumstances. The nomination wasted of our time which is so unfortunate.” He said.
In Kenya primary election campaigns are the main way voters get to know about all the candidates while voters get to hear about the platforms of top political parties and play a key role in shaping the final platforms of the major candidates in the in the August election.
Mostly importantly the primary elections provide an avenue through which Kenyans take part in the process of choosing their own leaders.
