Sonko exposes how Jubilee is planning to rig
On Wednesday, Jubilee Party insisted that it will purely use the cards for the highly awaited party primaries slated for next week, despite a reported depletion of the cards.
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Sonko has said that he is ready to move to court to stop the use of smart cards during the upcoming primaries.
Sonko has said that he is headed to court tomorrow (Friday) to block Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee Party from using smart cards in primaries, citing irregularities as others are set to swindle the cards and get through the nominations.
On Wednesday, however, Jubilee Party insisted that it will purely use the cards for the highly awaited party primaries slated for next week, despite a reported depletion of the cards.
Sonko has objected saying that out of the five million cards issued out, only 300,000 have been activated, and now he has sensed a ploy to favour some candidates, who have the money to buy out voters, during the exercise.
"It is my right to defend the rights of all aspirants who cannot afford to buy supporters," Sonko has said.
Insiders revealed that the party will in the course of this week form County Election Boards, which will work with the NEB on the use of the cards.
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There have been calls by some aspirants that the party should abandon the use of the smart cards, which some claim are only in the hands of a few individuals.
Jubilee had launched the smart cards in January. It was to be used to ensure only registered voters who are genuine members of the party participate in the nominations.
The card also made sure no one voted twice in the nominations through a system that is integrated with the voter register database.
The unique smart membership card contains a member’s name, identity number, mobile phone number and voting details such as the polling station.
Aspirants have been encouraged to buy the cards en-mass for their supporters, at Sh20 a piece, but this is just the first step in becoming a Jubilee Party member.
Card shortage
Last week, Jubilee party’s then secretariat chairman Raphael Tuju announced that it had sold out all its initial seven million cards, aimed at recruiting new members on board.
Tuju has, however, said the party had already ordered additional 2.5 million cards and that the cards were expected in the country on Thursday March 23 (today), a day the national budget will be read in parliament.
Each card is sold at Sh20, meaning the party had by last week cashed in Sh140 million and is intending to mint an additional Sh50 million, if it sells all the extra cards to its supporters.
Tuju blamed the depletion of the cards to the high demand. Aspirants have been trooping the Party’s headquarters in Pangani, many leaving disappointed after failing to get the cards.
"The cards are selling like hot cakes but we have placed an order and by March 23 we will have more cards for our members," Tuju told journalists earlier.
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