Karua accuses ex-MP of voter bribery in poll

Narc-Kenya leader Martha Karua moments before taking to the witness box for her petition against Governor Anne Waiguru at the Kerugoya law courts. [Photo by Munene Kamau/Standard]

Narc Kenya has also accused a Jubilee official and a primary school head teacher of palm-greasing in petition against governor.

A former MP has been accused of bribing voters during the Kirinyaga governorship election last year.

Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua said former Mwea MP Alfred Nderitu spearheaded the bribery scheme for the Jubilee candidate, Anne Waiguru.

Ms Karua was testifying during the hearing of her petition challenging the election of Ms Waiguru.

She also claimed that Jubilee Vice Chairman Muriithi Kangara was involved in bribing voters to tilt the outcome in favour of Waiguru.

Karua told the High Court in Kerugoya that her agents photographed Kangara giving out money to voters at the Kang’aru Primary School polling station.

Chief campaigner

She claimed Kangara, who was her opponent's chief campaigner, rode in Mwea West OCPD Seurey Kiptoo's official car on election day as he bribed voters.

Karua, who was being led through her testimony by lawyer CN Kihara, told the court when she confronted the OCPD, Kangara jumped out of the vehicle and took off as the car sped off from the station.

"I asked Kiptoo why he'd surrendered his police powers to a civilian and why the party official had not been arrested for bribing voters," said Karua.

Also named in the bribery scheme was the head teacher of Mutithi Primary School, whom Karua said stood at the entrance of the polling station and handed out money to voters as they streamed in.

“Massive voter bribery, exclusion of my agents from 188 polling stations across the county, tampering with ballot boxes and election materials led to the unfair win by Anne Waiguru," Karua told Justice Lucy Gitari.

Karua said the elections were marred by massive irregularities that gave Waiguru victory unfairly.

She said Waiguru used all manner of schemes to win the polls, including compromising the electoral commission's returning officer in the county, Samuel Seki.

"I rang Seki many times after receiving complaints from my agents that there was massive voter bribery. He kept on assuring me he would address the issues, but failed to do so," Karua said.

The former Cabinet minister and presidential candidate claimed she was alerted about rigging at Itangi polling station in Murinduko ward. She said she emerged the winner in the polling station after spending the night at the station.

The petitioner also accused the Mwea constituency IEBC returning officer, Julius Maingi, of aiding vote manipulation.

Adduce evidence

Waiguru's lawyers opposed Karua's attempt to adduce evidence from information in the electoral commission's KIEMS kits that were used in the disputed elections.

The lawyers said Karua needed to make a formal application to the court to use such information.

The court ordered Karua to file the application by April 12 while the respondent should file hers by April 16. Karua resumes her testimony the following day.

In her petition, Karua wants the court to order fresh elections in the county. She also wants the court to declare Waiguru unfit to run for the seat 'for committing and aiding electoral offences' during the elections.

The court had also heard that the election was marred by intimidation, cheating, and forging of ballot papers.