Omar says poll body blocked backers as he challenges Governor Joho’s win

Former Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar testifies at the Mombasa High Court in Mombasa County on 27/11/2017, in a petition he has filed changeling the election of Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho. (Photo: Kelvin Karani|Standard)

Former Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar has accused the electoral agency of preventing 300 supporters from voting for him.

Omar was testifying in the electoral court in a suit against Governor Hassan Joho's victory.

He was later cross-examined by Joho and Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission's (IEBC) lawyers who dismissed the former senator's rigging claims as fantasy and fiction.

Omar vied on a Wiper Democratic Movement ticket but has since shifted to support Jubilee and President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Meanwhile, the former senator had a hard time explaining how he secured some of his evidence from the commission.

Omar later admitted despite studying law for close to seven years, he had never been admitted to practise as an advocate because he had not joined the Kenya School of Law to earn admission to the bar.

Sworn statements

IEBC lawyers questioned the admissibility of some affidavits uttered by Omar's lawyers on grounds that some of the sworn statements attached to his pleading were either unsigned and undated.

The lawyers further said crucial evidence promoting the rigging claims were improperly obtained from the commission.

“There was enough evidence that these voters were turned away after they could not be identified by KIEMS kit,” Omar claimed during the petition proceedings.

Omar told Justice Lydia Achode he spoke to his supporters and was ready to call them as witnesses, but admitted he did not personally see them being sent away.

"I am ready to call these people to testify if you want to prove my case,” he said.

Joho won the August 8 General Election vote with 221,177 votes, Awiti Bolo garnered 4,700 votes, Suleiman Shahbal 69,515 votes, while Omar had 43,780.