Jubilee strongman says smart card not smart enough

Former Cabinet Minister, Franklin Bett, has faulted Jubilee Party plan to use smart cards in party primaries arguing that the cards cannot ascertain a fair play ground for all contestants.

Bett urged the party to rescind on the card system plan saying that wealthy candidates might buy them in bulk and distribute them to their strongholds thereby edging out other contenders.

“They will make sure their opponents’ supporters do not have access to the cards. This is what we don’t want because we are out for free, fair and credible nominations,” Bett said.

Bett advised the party to employ the traditional methods to conduct nominations saying that it would avert post-nomination fall-outs.

The Jubilee Party smart cards were unveiled with much fan fare at Kasarani Stadium towards the end of last month with party leader, President Uhuru Kenyatta, and his deputy, William Ruto, expressing confidence that the innovation would assure free and fair nominations.

Jubilee Party leaders have since embarked on a rigorous campaign to encourage party members to acquire the smart cards, that are sold at Ksh 20, saying they (cards) will be used as gate pass to participate in party nominations.

Bett dismissed the card innovation while addressing a delegation of Kericho County leaders at his Bureti home, where he announced intentions to vie for Kericho senatorial seat.

“Owing to serious consultations with these people (opinion leaders)  from Bureti constituency where I was born, I now accept their requests and declare that will I be running for the senatorial seat. Let me start laying out strategies from next week so that I win the JP primaries with a landslide,” said Bett, who is a former Bureti MP.

Bett now joins a list of ever-ballooning list of contenders for Kericho County senatorial seat, which is currently held by Aaron Cheruiyot of Jubilee Party.

Report by Kimutai Kering