Four governor hopefuls in race to meet IEBC clearance
At least four gubernatorial aspirants were last night racing against time to be cleared to run in the August 9 General Election after their running mates failed to meet certain requirements.
In Murang’a and Vihiga counties, the governor hopefuls were turned down by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) after their deputies failed to comply with resignation deadlines.
Bungoma Governor Wycliffe Wangamati similarly suffered a setback when Nangalama Sitati, whom he had picked as his running mate, resigned a day before presenting nomination papers to IEBC.
In Murang’a, a petition was filed against Senator Irungu Kang’ata’s running mate Dr Winnie Mwangi, a former lecturer at the University of Nairobi who is accused of failing to resign in time.
Kang’ata, who is contesting the Murang’a seat on a UDA ticket, told journalists Dr Mwangi had turned up at the commission’s office to present their papers for clearance when they got a rude shock.
The IEBC County Returning Officer presented Kang’ata with a petition by Philip Kamau, a resident which had been attached to a letter from the Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission (EACC) alleging Mwangi did not resign from her position on time as required by law.
Kamau argued that Mwangi failed to comply with Section 43(5) of the Elections Act 2011 and as such, the commission could not clear her as it would violate the law.
He also said he has written to the university seeking clarification on the exact date she resigned. The IEBC officer gave Kang’ata until today evening to have the issue cleared before he returns to the office for clearance. Kang’ata, however, claimed this is a ploy by his opponents to distract him from his course.
He said the claims that his deputy did not resign in good time were unfounded and are only aimed at blocking his bid to vie for the seat.
“I was shocked to be presented with the petition after arriving at the office and I believe this was something which had been planned and hidden to be unveiled at the last minute,” he said.
He said he had checked all the parameters while picking Mwangi and he will prove it within the given time.
Mwangi on her part refuted the claims that she did not resign at the right time saying the claims were a ploy by their opponents to bring her down.
Cleared to vie
Former Principal Secretary Irungu Nyakera of Farmers Party, Wairagu wa Maai on DP party and Jamleck Kamau vying on the Jubilee ticket were however cleared to vie for the seat.
In Kiambu, the nomination of Thika Town MP Patrick Wainaina ‘Jungle’ to contest the governor’s seat hit a snag after he was told to present an original copy of a resignation letter of his running-mate Ann Nyokabi Gatheca from the public service.
The exercise was delayed for more than six hours as the duo frantically made efforts to get the letter and other documents from Nairobi before Wainaina was finally cleared at the Kiambu Institute of Science and Technology (KIST).
“It seems people sponsored by political parties are having an easier ride than those contesting independently as they are being subjected to a very rigorous and time-consuming nomination process,” Wainaina told journalists after being presented with the certificate.
Kiambu Governor James Nyoro was cleared on Sunday to defend his seat on a Jubilee certificate. Also cleared were former governor William Kabogo (Tujibebe party), Senator Kimani Wamatangi (UDA), Mwende Gatabaki (Safina) and Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria (CCK). In Bungoma, Wangamati’s running mate Rangalama Sitati said he had made the decision to withdraw after a group of Ford Kenya supporters complained to the EACC that he had not resigned as Tongaren constituency manager.
“A constituency manager is not a state officer who is supposed to resign, so taking my issue to EACC is pure witch-hunt,” he complained.
Sitati who is from the minority Tachoni clan said he will still campaign for Wangamati to ensure that he is re-elected.
“I thank Wangamati for picking me but let me allow him to look for another person to deputize him. But I am assuring him that I will traverse the county campaigning for him,” he said.
Wangamati will now be forced to get a new running mate before 9 am today.
So far, two candidates have been given the nod to vie for governor among them Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka (Ford Kenya) and businessman Zacharia Barasa (UDP).
In Vihiga, Sabatia MP Alfred was also racing against time to get a new running mate after it was established that his initial nominee, Vincent Mmaitsi did not resign at the stipulated time.
According to Vihiga county IEBC returning officer Peter Tiyo, Mmaitsi who was serving as a member of the Vihiga County Public Service Board resigned on May 10 and not February 9 as required by law.
Agoi has until this morning (Tuesday) to present another running mate. “We are not able to clear Alfred Agoi after his running mate failed to resign as per required by election laws,” said Tiyo.
Agoi however protested the move by IEBC saying the rules were tailored to frustrate him. He said he will explore all legal means to ensure he is cleared.
In Kakamega, there was anxiety caused by a delay in clearing Azimio governor candidate Fernandez Barasa due to academic queries involving his running mate Ayub Savula.
Tens of hundreds of Azimio supporters who poured into Kakamega town to witness the clearance of Barasa had to endure a four-hour wait, with questions around Savula’s degree certificate before he was finally cleared.
The University had demanded that he avails of his admission letter, which reportedly was missing in the registry. Savula alluded to the degree certification hitch moments after the pair were cleared by IEBC to vie for the gubernatorial race.
Also stopped in his tracks was Nyamira Jubilee governor aspirant Mwancha Okioma after his running mate, Dr Charles Nyandusi was discovered to have resigned after the IEBC February 9 deadline.
Okioma tried to plead with the returning officer Anthony Njoroge to clear Nyandusi arguing that the resignation issue was a “small matter” but the officer stood his ground, arguing that the law must be followed to the letter.
“I resigned as a lecturer from Moi university where I used to work but I was surprised to read in the newspapers that I did not resign within the stipulated period. I have already moved to court challenging the allegation,” Nyandusi protested. 2
- Stories by Oliver Musembi, Wangari Njuguna, Yusuf Masibo, Douglas Dindi, Enock Amukule and Evans Nyakundi.
