Confusion as IEBC is accused of clearing ‘wrong’ UDA candidate for Eldas MP seat

A standoff ensued at the IEBC offices in Eldas constituency, Wajir county after two aspirants vying for the parliamentary seat presented similar UDA nomination certificates allegedly issued by the party for clearance.

Siyad Hussein Jimale, who says he had been declared as a nominee by the party, was informed that another candidate Omar Haji Salat had earlier cleared.

Siyad who claims to be the bonafide candidate for the UDA party had on Monday gone armed with his documents waiting to be cleared only to be turned away.

Upon inquiry, he was told by IEBC officials at the premises that they had already cleared Salat as the UDA candidate.

Shocked but not willing to give up, Siyad went back to the electoral agency to try his luck again on Tuesday but was again turned away by the officials.

“To my dismay and that of my supporters who were kept at bay by the security officers manning the gate of Eldas CDF hall, I was informed by the IEBC official led by the returning officer, Alibashir Alinoor that they have already cleared a UDA candidate on Monday while it is in the public domain that I am the de jure UDA nominee for Eldas Parliamentary seat.”

Speaking to the press outside the hall, a visibly angry and shocked Siyad wondered how the IEBC officials cleared a candidate claiming to belong to a party without thoroughly scrutinizing his documents to determine authenticity.

“For the second day, the (IEBC) officials refused to clear me as the sole UDA Party candidate for Eldas Parliamentary seat. I arrived at the CDF Hall premises at 2:30 PM and was kept at the gate for two hours.”

He added: “When I inquired what transpired from the IEBC Returning officer, he had no other excuse but confined the whole thing into a party issue when I know very well that UDA has submitted the right list with me as their sole nominee for Eldas Parliamentary seat”.

According to Siyad, the Eldas IEBC officials cleared an imposter candidate who presented a fake nomination certificate.

He said he defeated him during the UDA nomination process held on April 17, 2022.

He said that he will be moving to court to seek redress.

“Going forward, I will be heading to court to make sure that I get justice. We must stop this conman ship because if it is left to continue then we will be setting very bad precedence,” he said.,

Efforts to get a comment from the returning officer and Salat were not successful as they could not be reached.     BY THE STAR