The chairman IEBC. Wafula Chebukati
NAIROBI—IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati has issued a directive to suspend all gubernatorial political campaigns in Marsbit County from today.
This is after a meeting with Governor Ukur Yatani and his rival Mohamed Mohamud Ali, whose supporters clashed on Wednesday
“We have agreed with the two leaders that all the campaigns in the county will be suspended until Monday next week, when as a committee we shall issue a decision, after hearing both parties,” said Mr. Chebukati.
Three people were shot and wounded in the chaos that ensued in town, shortly after President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto had addressed the rally.
The session held live where the IEBC chairman summoned Yatani who is defending his seat on Frontier Alliance Party ticket and main challenger Mr Ali the Jubilee Party flag-bearer.
it was directed that investigations be conducted over the incident and campaigns to be suspended in the meantime.
Governor Yatani and his competitor said they are both in agreement with the directive, adding that they will duly comply with it.
“I will suspend our campaigns until next week as ordered, as we await the decision by IEBC. My team and I will utilize the break to reflect on why the unfortunate incident happened and find ways of forestalling such episodes,” explained Yatani.
Ali admitted that the suspension will affect him.
“Of course this decision affects my programs. I was supposed to be somewhere tomorrow, on Sunday and even Monday. Coming here really affected a lot of my programs and I am not endowed with a lot of resources,” he said.
MP Roba Duba (Moyale) who also attended the session said the Marsabit leaders will not allow politics to divide them, noting that his Frontier Alliance Party which he leads advocates for peaceful co-existence.
