Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has congratulated Mbeere North MP Leo Wamuthende following the dismissal of a court case challenging his election.

In a brief statement shared on his X account on Thursday, May 21, 2026, Kindiki hailed the decision, noting that the legal challenge against Wamuthende’s election as Member of Parliament for Mbeere North Constituency had been thrown out, effectively affirming his position.

“Congratulations Leo Wamuthende on the dismissal of the case against your election as MP for Mbeere North Constituency,” Kindiki wrote.

Wamuthende case

In March 2026, a High Court in Embu ordered that all the ballot boxes in the Mbeere North by-election, which was won by Wamuthende, be reopened and scrutinised, and the votes be recounted.

Petitioner Newton Kariuki Ndwiga, alias Netwon Karish, moved to court challenging Wamuthende’s win in the November 27, 2025, by-election.

He sought orders to recount votes in all polling stations within the constituency, including Kaungu Primary, Kianamu, and Siakago Social Hall, among others.

Judge Richard Mwongo ruled on Friday, March 27, 2026, that the closure of one Kaungu polling station for 30 minutes after violence erupted could have affected the by-election outcome, thus ordering the recount.

Case withdrawal

In a detailed judgement delivered by Judge Richard Mwongo on Thursday, May 21, 2026, the court has noted that the petition did not meet the required standard for the election nullification.

“The outright determination, the court finds that the petition was not proved to the required standard, and it is hereby dismissed with costs,” Judge Mwongo ruled.

“Having concluded the hearing of the election petition, I am satisfied that the petition is dismissed and the fourth respondent (Wamuthende) remains the duly elected member of parliament for Mbeere North Constituency,” the judge added.

The court noted that even though it found that there were unexplained inconsistencies in forms 35A and 35B, adding up to a 10-vote difference, with no way of knowing whom they would benefit, scrutiny of overwritten forms disclosed no major discrepancy.

Judge Mwongo avers that, under close scrutiny, the court did not find anything to suggest any irregularity in the inconsistencies, but rather a careless mistake in translocation from the vote tally column of the form.