‘Men in black’ helped Wanga win polls, Kidero says
Former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero has claimed that “Men in Black” helped Gladys Wanga in her election through violence and intimidation of other candidates.
In his detailed petition, challenging Wanga election as the second governor of Homa Bay county Kidero alleges that the “organized criminal gang known as the Men-In-Black” was deployed by the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party to cause violence and terrorize candidates vying on an independent party or other political outfits.
The petition reveals how his competitor was a beneficiary of the calculated violence and bribery that was allegedly mastermind and executed by ODM’s men in black.
The ex-city boss has given a blow to blow account of how ODM Party together with Wanga’s husband employed the “Men- In-Black”and goons to cause violence and threaten his supporters and IEBC officials during the elections in order to help her win.
Kidero also says that the hired men in black and goons caused violence during the August 9 polls.
He claims that reporting the violence to the police bore no fruits and that members of the gang are known across the county; “it is an open secret”.
His agents made various reports to the Police, and will adduce specific OB numbers in court during hearing of the petition. However, to date, there has been no progress in the investigations, says Kidero.
Wanga was declared the winner of the gubernatorial polls after garnering 244,559 votes against Kidero’s 154,182 votes.
In the petition, Kidero claims that the election cannot be allowed to stand “in view of the very grave possible bout of criminalities committed by or in favour of Wanga and her deputy Joseph Magwanga’s candidature”.
Six piece
He also attributes his loss to calls by former Prime Minister Raila Odinga for voters to elect only the ODM’s candidates within Homabay County, in what came to be known as “voting six piece”.
“The said remarks specifically targeted my candidacy and amounted to intimidation of the Petitioners and improper and/or undue influence on the electorate contrary to the basic principle of the electoral system under Article 81(e)(ii) of the Constitution.
