Wiper leaders ask IEBC to disqualify Governor Mutua

Governor Alfred Mutua (Photo: Courtesy)

Four Wiper Party Leaders in Machakos have called on the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to bar Governor Alfred Mutua from contesting in the August elections for what they termed as engaging in voter bribery.

Led by Mavoko MP Patrick Makau, Machakos County Governor candidate Wavinya Ndeti, her running mate Peter Mathuki and Woman Rep candidate Joyce Kamene Kasimbi said Governor Mutua's initiative of giving loans to women barely a month to the elections amounted to bribery which was an electoral offence as defined in the elections law 2016 number 37.

The legislator said the applicants were getting an ‘enticement’ of up to Sh 3,000 payable after two months adding the money was neither budgeted for in the 2016/2017 Financial Year nor approved by the County Assembly.

“The sponsor of the so-called table banking fund is Lilian Ng’ang’a who is a spouse to Governor Mutua” he said posing that “We are asking on what capacity is she administering County government funds.”

Mr Makau said that that money meant for the County government did not belong to governor Mutua to administer at will.

Former Kathiani Mp Wavinya Ndeti said they had written to the IEBC and asked for action to be taken on the governor. She asked the women not to sign the forms as they will be forced to repay the money after the elections adding Sh3000 was too little for anyone to do business.

Ms Ndeti also took issue with the County Government move to give a tax waiver to small-scale traders in the county without the approval of the county assembly.

She said Governor Mutua was commiting an economic crime by waiving tax to traders and matatu opetators which amounts to economic sabotage.

Last week Governor Mutua launched the Sh40 million interest-free banking for women in Mwala sub-county.

Dr Mutua said each of 40 wards in the county will receive one million shillings for mama mboga, village or town businesses to enable them access capital.