‘Stop dragging CJ Koome’s name into 2022 politics’ – Wanga blasts UDA
Homa Bay Women Representative Gladys Wanga has dismissed Deputy President William Ruto allies’ demands that Chief Justice Martha Koome to stick to her constitutional mandate and not be part of the 2022 polls committee as it presents a conflict of interest.
In an interview with a local television station, the outspoken women representative on Thursday said Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) has already sensed defeat and started looking for scapegoats while making sideshows.
"UDA should not drag the CJ into this matter just because they want to attack other people, who they have refused to name and claim they are supporting another candidate who are in the 2022 polls team, they should just go for those unnamed people and make it clear," Wanga said.
Wanga further asked UDA to be patient and allow each and every stakeholder like the CJ in the upcoming 2022 polls to participate in the matter.
"Conducting elections is a preserve of IEBC, but there is nothing wrong with stakeholders coming together to say what they require for a smooth 2022 election, UDA should not read too much into the matter, Wanga said.
UDA on Wednesday, November 24, 2021 wrote to the CJ Koome asking her to steer clear of the workings of the Technical Working Committee, that is tasked with overseeing election preparedness in regard to the upcoming 2022 general elections.
In a letter undersigned against the name of its Secretary General, Veronica Maina, the Ruto affiliated party claims that the CJ's continued involvement in the Technical Working Committee is likely to interfere with and shall threaten free and fair polls in 2022.
According to Ruto, Koome's participation in the team that has representatives from the electoral body, threatens chances of a free and fair poll.
The Ruto affiliated party told the CJ, that wearing the hat of those required to ensure that all is set for elections and later wearing the hat of a judge, tasked with deliberating and determining, election disputes, cannot constitutionally be tenable.
They further beseeched Koome to "stop, abandon, desist, refrain and cease" from participating in the activities of the Technical Working Committee.
"It is worth not that every person has an obligation to respect, uphold and defend the Constitution," the letter read further.
