Traffic paralyzed as Nakuru protesters block road over vote rigging

Traffic was paralyzed for over four hours at Sachangwan along the busy Nakuru- Eldoret highway after angry demonstrators blocked the road in protest of Jubilee’s Party decision to declare Molo Member of Parliament, Jacob Macharia, winner in the recently concluded party nominations.

According to the protesters, 27-year-old newcomer, Kimani Kuria, garnered 13,505 votes against the incumbent’s 8,701 and Mr David Njuguna also known as Tetemesha coming in third with 5,965 votes.

The protesters, who barricaded the roads lighting bonfires, engaged the General Service Unit officers (GSU), who were deployed at the scene to clear the heavy traffic, in running battles up to the wee hours of the night forcing them to lob tear gas to disperse them (protesters).

Speaking to Citizen Digital on phone, aspirant  Kimani Kuria accused the legislator of allegedly conspiring with the Returning Officers to present manipulated nomination results at the party headquarters so as to short change him.

“The results which were presented to the party headquarters had been manipulated to show that Jacob Macharia was the winner,” said Mr Kuria.

Kuria further noted that he had learnt that the MP had made an appeal with the party’s disputes tribunal and was heard in his absence.

According to him, the tribunal summoned him Friday, May 5 for hearing after they learnt of the demonstrations in Molo.