Four Members of Parliament to know their fate Monday

By ALEX NAMULIRO

KENYA: Four Members of Parliament will know their fate today when rulings in election petitions against them are issued.

The judgments in the cases against Matungu MP David Were (New Ford Kenya) and his Luanda counterpart Christopher Omulele (ODM) will be read at the High Court in Kakamega.

Meanwhile, the High Court in Kisii County will deliver its verdict on the Bomachoge Borabu and Nyaribari Chache poll petitions.

Justice Erick Ogola is expected to issue the verdicts in the cases against Were and Omulele after all the parties completed their submissions late last month.

In the Matungu case, the petitioner Paul Obwora who participated in the election on an ODM ticket, challenged the election of Mr Were and brought before the court more than 20 witnesses to support his allegations.

 The petitioner asked the court to nullify the election citing bribery, violence and intimidation of voters. The petitioner also alleged that IEBC officials were compromised.

Irregularities

Augustine Ouma, an agent during the election told the court that, together with other agents, they signed blank form 35 before the completion of the election after the returning officer told them to do so although this was against election rules. In the Luanda case, the petitioner Arthur Kibira moved to court on the grounds that IEBC misspelt his name on the ballot paper.

 On the ballot paper his name was captured as Arthur Kibara instead of (Kibira). He claimed this cost him the seat.

In the Bomachoge Borabu petition, two poll losers Peter Kimori and Albert Nyaundi filed the petition seeking to have Onyancha’s election annulled on grounds of alleged massive irregularities.

Through their lawyers, the petitioners want the poll outcome annulled, alleging irregularities including wrongful transposition of figures and ‘ghost’ voters.

In the Nyaribari Chache petition, poll loser Richard Tongi wants Bichage’s election annulled claiming there were irregularities during the March 4 exercise.

 The petitioner argues that IEBC through Returning Officer Robert Ng’eny never conducted the polls in a free, fair and transparent manner.