The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has given Uasin Gishu gubernatorial aspirant Bundotich Zedekiah Kiprop alias Buzeki a clean bill of health to contest in the forthcoming elections.
Buzeki taking a second stab at the seat on an independent ticket, was cleared on Saturday, June 4, 2022, by the Wafula Chebukati-led commission.
He had presented his papers at IEBC County Offices at Kenmosa on the outskirts of Eldoret town.
After getting cleared, the billionaire businessman stormed Eldoret town with a convoy that brought business to a standstill.
“IEBC has now cleared us to vie for the governor seat. This means that on August 9, we shall be on the ballot,” Buzeki told thousands of his supporters in Eldoret town.
He said his first Executive Order would be to reduce all the business licences by 10 percent if elected.
“Long is gone when brokers and middlemen had a field day in our county. My administration will digitalise all the county services to curb these characters,” Buzeki told traders at the Eldoret main market.
He insisted that his administration would not tolerate any form of favouritism when it comes to service delivery.
Buzeki is hoping to be lucky at his second attempt of the county’s top seat.
He was on the ballot in the 2017 general election and finished second behind winner Jackson Mandago.
Having staged a well-oiled campaign, Buzeki garnered an impressive 148,121 votes compared to Mandago’s 191,467 votes.
In the August 9 poll, the billionaire businessman will be facing Jonathan Bii Chelilim, the UDA aspirant for the seat.
Bii has not yet presented his nomination papers to IEBC. He is expected to appear before the County Returning Officer on Sunday, June 5, 2022.
Another candidate in the race is former Agricultural Development Corporation (ADC) Chief Executive Officer Mwalimu William Kirwa.
Kirwa is vying on a United Democratic Movement (UDM) party allied to Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition.