Wiper issues fresh summonses to rebel leaders

Wiper party has issued new summonses to its defectors after they failed to appear before the disciplinary committee yesterday.

The party’s Executive Director Jared Siso said the decision was reached after the rebel party members asked for more time to present their case.

The seven rebel members are now expected to appear before the disciplinary committee headed by Haron Ndubi on November 24 and 25. None of them showed up at the hearing yesterday.

Dr Siso said some defectors claimed not to have seen the notices of summons while others said they received them late.

“The disciplinary committee felt it was appropriate for them to be given more time so that no one can later claim they were left out or unfairness. So, we had to adjourn to November 24 and 25,” he said.

According to the summonses, the rebel members have an option of sending a representative to the committee or appear in person.

Yesterday, the leaders sent their lawyers to represent them, but they had not presented their submissions before the hearing as was required.

Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua who has already launched his Maendeleo Chap Chap political outfit was represented by lawyers Kioko Kilukumi and Benjamin Musau. Other rebel members are MPs John Munuve (Mwingi North), Joe Mutambu (Mwingi Central), Katemi Makenga (Kaiti), Robert Mutemi (nominated), Regina Ndambuki (Kilome) and Kisoi Munyao (Mbooni). The MPs were represented by lawyer Benjamin Musau.

Siso said before honouring the new summonses on November 24, the defectors should have submitted their case to the disciplinary committee.

“That is when the committee will look into their cases and where fit request for their physical presence in the hearing,” he said.

Wiper has been the latest Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) affiliate to crack the whip on defectors. The rebels defected to Jubilee Party.

During his address at the Mashujaa Day celebrations held in Machakos County, Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka told the Jubilee administration, led by President Uhuru Kenyatta, that he had set free the defectors to join Jubilee, but warned that they would not be re-elected.

Meanwhile, Kalonzo yesterday said the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) should lease the electoral equipment to be used in next year’s General Election to cut expenditure and seal loophole s that could be used to perpetrate electoral malpractices.

He said leasing biometric voter registration kits from experienced and respected dealers will be cheaper than buying new ones and will lock out possibility of rigging.

“Rigging begins in the procurement of electoral materials and registration of voters. Technology is advancing and electrical equipment are getting obsolete very fast. What is the best and latest in technology today could not be useful in the next three years,” Kalonzo said, adding that BVR kits were used to rig the 2013 polls.