IEBC to determine Kethi Kilonzo’s fate Monday

Kethi Kilonzo with her supporters outside the Milimani Law Courts during the hearing of a case challenging her suitability to vie for the Makueni senatorial by-election. [Photo: File/Standard]

By Isaiah Lucheli

Nairobi, Kenya: The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Nominations Dispute Resolution Committee will Monday give its verdict on the fate of Kethi Kilonzo’s candidature for the Makueni senate by-election.

Ms Kethi who, if cleared for any wrong doing, will be making her political debut in the July 22 by-election, seeking to succeed her late father, Mutula Kilonzo, faces accusations that her registration as a voter is fraudulent.

She has, however, put up a spirited fight before the committee insisting that she was a registered voter despite IEBC officials maintaining that the acknowledgement slip was obtained fraudulently.

The IEBC director, in-charge of voter registration Immaculate Kasait, while testifying before the committee worsened the situation for Ms Kilonzo when she said the lawyer was not a registered voter in the country.

She had explained that the slip in Ms Kilonzo’s possession was a subject of police investigation as it had been stolen from a booklet that was used to register former President Mwai Kibaki only at the launch of the registration exercise.

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If the outcome of the findings of the committee declares that Kethi was a duly registered voter, it would give her a political lifeline and pave the way for her to contest the Makueni senatorial seat, which she is widely expected to win.

The committee’s decision is eagerly being awaited by residents of Makueni and the country at large with bated breath as Ms Kilonzo had during the presidential election petition cut a niche for herself as a polished lawyer and endeared herself to many people.

In the event that the committee finds Ms Kilonzo’s acknowledgement receipt to have been fraudulently obtained, then this would automatically bar her from contesting for the seat and possibly darken her world of active politics.

The other implication would be that the lawyer would face fraud charges if the IEBC presses charges against her and this would also have a serious implication on her legal career and standing in the society.

If found guilty of fraud, it would have a permanent impact on her future leadership endeavours.