Bungoma Senator Wetangula loses seat

By Grace Wekesa

BUNGOMA, KENYA: Bungoma Senator and CORD's co-principal Moses Wetangula Monday lost his senatorial seat following a successful petition filed by former minister Musikari Kombo.

Bungoma High Court Judge Francis Gikonyo in his ruling said there was a wide range of malpractices including double registration, vote tallying manipulation, and double voting.  "At a meeting in Red Cross hotel, clergy were offered Sh260,000 to vote for CORD leaders in the area," the court heard.

The Monday decision leaves Wetangula with a second chance to seek votes from electorate through a by-election to be announced later.

Moses Wetangula was nominated as a Kanu MP after the 1992 general election, serving until 1997. He has held several other previous public positions which include that of magistrate and the chairman Electricity Regulatory Board.

Wetangula was elected to the National Assembly in the December 2002 parliamentary election. In the Cabinet appointed by President Mwai Kibaki on 8 January 2008, in the midst of a crisis regarding the results of the concurrent presidential election, Wetangula was named Minister for Foreign Affairs.

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CORD leaders including former Prime Minister Raila Odinga were present during the ruling.