TNA candidate’s nomination certificate revoked

By Antony Gitonga                             

Naivasha, Kenya: Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has revoked the nomination of a County Representative candidate on The National Alliance (TNA) party ticket in Naivasha and handed the certificate to another person.

It was shock and disbelief for Esther Njeri Mengere from Viwandani ward following the directive from the electoral body.

A Naivasha businessman Stephen Kihonge Ndung’u who had opposed the nomination of Njeri was instead awarded the TNA ticket.

The move followed a week of confusion over who would present TNA in the coming March 4th general elections.

After the controversial TNA nominations, Kihonge went to the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal seeking to have the exercise nullified as it was marred by malpractices.

The tribunal ruled in his favour but as he moved to present his papers it emerged that IEBC had already cleared Njeri who is a former councillor with the Naivasha Municipal council.

On Thursday, the IEBC revoked the nomination as Kihonge welcomed the move saying that justice had been done.

Speaking in Naivasha Kihonge termed the primaries as a sham where popular candidates had been locked out.

“Am grateful to the IEBC and TNA for being fair and if elected I promise to address the challenges facing Naivasha residents,” he said.

Confirming the revocation, Naivasha constituency IEBC coordinator Ms Midred Wachiye said that they were following a court order.

“There was a court order revoking the nomination certificate of Njeri and we have followed it to the letter,” she said.

Wachiye said that the order directed that Kihonge be handed over the nomination certificate.