Murang’a voter challenges Kang’ata’s clearance by IEBC

Murang’a gubernatorial candidate Irungu Kang’ata is on the spot over alleged electoral malpractice.

In a complaint lodged at the election commission tribunal, the Murang’a senator has been accused of interfering with the mandate of the electoral body.

Kang’ata running mate

The petitioner, Thomas Waithaka Mumu, claims the legislator while seeking clearance by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), asked the returning officer to change the date of presenting his nomination papers.

This, he claims, was to enable Kang’ata to confirm whether his former choice for running mate Winnie Njeri Mwangi had resigned from being a lecturer at the University of Nairobi.

Lawyer Peter Wanyama for the Murang’a voter told the tribunal that section 18 of the Election Act requires the returning officer to receive nomination papers on the date set and can not change them at the whims of any candidate.

“Dr Kang’ata violated the law when he asked the returning officer to alter the nomination date of presentation of his candidature from June 6 to 7, 2022,” Wanyama stated.

The lawyer said that on that score alone the nomination of Kang’ata is illegal and an affront to the electoral law.

He asked the tribunal to quash the candidate’s clearance certificate alongside that of his running mate Stephen Mburu.

But Kang’ata, through his lawyer Charles Njenga, opposed the petition arguing that it is in bad faith.

“There is no valid complaint before this tribunal as all that has been raised is political,” Njenga said.

He urged the tribunal to strick the petition out with costs.

The matter will be determined on Wednesday, June 15, 2022.