MP Fred Kapondi wins UDA ticket

By Peter Ochieng Mt. Elgon Member of Parliament (MP) Fred Chesebe Kapondi is the winner of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party MP ticket, resulting from nominations held in various parts of Bungoma County on Tuesday, April 19, 2022. Kapondi won the closely fought contest, garnering 17,441 votes as his rival Allan Chemayiek ended the race with 16,928 votes. The two rivals may meet again during the August 09, 2022 polls if Chemayiek decides to brandish the independent ticket card, to be on the ballot. In UDA's Ward primaries, Martin Cheseto was declared winner in Cheptais, Ben Kipkut in Chesikaki, Frankline Sangula in Chepyuk, Joan Kirong in Kapkateny, Hillary Kiptalam in Elgon and Francis Chemion in Kaptama. Zachariah Barasa got the Bungoma County gubernatorial ticket, while Nancy Kibaba gets the party's ticket for the Women Representative race. Meanwhile, various aspirants who lost in party primaries continue to line up at the registrar of political parties in Nairobi, in a bid to vie as independent candidates, as the date for the August 09, 2022 polls continues to draw near. [caption id="attachment_16361" align="aligncenter" width="490"] File image of UDA Party Headquarters in Nairobi. [Photo: UDA Twitter]Elgon[/caption] According to the registrar of political parties Ann Nderitu, 400 politicians who lost in party primaries had expressed interest in vying as independent candidates, as of Tuesday, April 19, 2022. The number is expected to sharply increase going forward. She said they have set up a Centre at Westlands primary school in Nairobi to assist those who want to vie as independent candidates. Political parties have to be done and dusted with primaries as of April 22, 2022, according to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) timelines.