MP turns heat on man who 'helped him pass tests'

By Wahome Thuku

An MP has now turned the heat on a friend who claimed to have sat proficiency test on his behalf in 2007.

Gatundu North MP Clement Waibara produced a letter in court to prove Martin Ndung’u Kahura’s own academic background was questionable. He also used the letter issued by Kenya Polytechnic to claim Ndung’u had lied on oath that he was an electronic engineer.

The evidence added to the mudslinging that has characterised the petition challenging Waibara’s election.

A voter, Peter Kamau, first filed the petition against Waibara in 2008 before later pulling out of the case. It was taken over by another voter, Bernard Chege Mburu. He was nominated as petitioner by former area MP Patrick Muiruri.

Requisite qualifications

The petitioner wants the election nullified on the ground Waibara is a school dropout who cannot articulate himself in English and Kiswahili and does not possess requisite academic qualifications.

Two weeks ago Ndung’u told the court Waibara pleaded with him to sit the exams over a cup of tea at a restaurant in Nairobi.

"I took the exam on his behalf. I impersonated him," he said. "I agreed to do so for free, and out of mercy," for a man he described as his friend.

Ndung’u then told presiding judge Fred Ochieng he was an electrical engineer holding a diploma from Kenya Polytechnic in Nairobi.

But yesterday Waibara’s lawyer Evans Ondieki gave Ndung’u a letter by the chairman of the Electrical Engineering Department at the college, Joseph Karanja.

It said he was a student there pursuing diploma in electronic engineering but failed in 1992.

Hearing continues.