Why Wangui Ngirici wants Anne Waiguru's win annulled

Outgoing Kirinyaga Woman Rep Wangui Ngirici. [Mose Sammy, Standard] Outgoing Kirinyaga Woman Rep Wangui Ngirici has filed a petition at High Court seeking to overturn the re-election of Governor Anne Waiguru. Ms Ngirici's legal team filed the petition yesterday at the High Court in Kerugoya. She has enjoined her running mate Eliud Ngige as co-petitioner. The Independent Electoral Boundaries Commission (IEBC), County Returning Officer Jane Gitonga, the governor and her deputy, David Githanda, have been listed as the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th respondents respectively. Ms Ngirici, who vied for the governor's seat as an Independent, wants the court to nullify Ms Waiguru's victory citing electoral malpractices allegedly facilitated by the electoral agency. She claims the electoral process was not transparent nor verifiable, and that IEBC abdicated it's constitutional role by conducting elections not based on universal suffrage and free will of the voters. "The election was not free from influence, was not transparent, verifiable and its accuracy cannot be confirmed," the petition reads. The petitioner has equally questioned authenticity of the results declared in Gichugu constituency, terming the voter turnout abnormal. Ms Ngirici argues that in Mwea, Ndia and Kirinyaga Central constituencies, voter turn-out was between 60 per cent and 75 per cent yet Gichugu registered 81 per cent. She claims this created room for manipulation and inflation of votes in favour of the incumbent. "The county returning officer relied on forms 37A that were either not signed or stamped by the presiding officer in declaring the third and fourth respondents as the winners," she says. Ms Ngirici has listed Mukoigo Tea Buying Centre polling station 1, Karumandi Tea Factory polling station 1, Ithiga Ria Njuki Primary School polling station number 2, Karucho Primary School polling station number 1 and Mwania Njau Primary School as some of the stations where forms 37A did not have the IEBC stamp. The petitioner also alleges voter bribery in some stations, use of same agents for one candidate in different polling stations, and extended voting time of up to 10pm in some polling centres like Kimaugumo Primary School. She also claims alteration of form 37A, exclusion of her agents during voting and counting of votes and lack of transparency in the voting and counting. Ms Waiguru, who vied on UDA ticket, was declared the winner after garnering 113,008 votes against Ms Ngirici's 105,677 votes. Other candidates were Jubilee Party's Charles Kibiru who got 22,065 votes, Safina's Peter Njuguna Gitau (10,166), Joseph Ndathi of TSP (3,837), Bedan Kagai of Narc-Kenya (1,751) and Kadu Asili's Sylvanus Ndau (532).

Why Wangui Ngirici wants Anne Waiguru's win annulled

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