Justina- Wajackoyah blocked me even before elections

Roots Party leader George Wajackoyah allegedly blocked his running mate Justina Wamae way before the August 9 General Election.

The soft-spoken Justina said that she has not been able to contact Wajackoyah on the phone since he blocked her on August 3, six days to the polls.

"He blocked me on the phone and hired police officers to stop me from accessing the office," Wamae told The Nairobian. "I am above drama and pettiness... and I do not engage in betrayal politics."

Wajackoyah got 61,969 votes to be third in the presidential election.

President-elect William Ruto garnered 7,176,141 votes to win the polls, while Azimio leader Raila Odinga came in second with 6,942,930 votes, but the results have been disputed.

Wajackoyah did not respond to our calls.

"After we were labelled a government project three times, I felt I needed to speak up, so I called him...and he blocked me a few days to the elections," Justina said on the phone.

She said they differed on ideologies.

"When we were at Bomas of Kenya on August 15, during the presidential results declaration, my party leader and I agreed that the election was free and fair. And this was because all our agents had signed Form 34C, which IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati used to announce the results. It's contradictory when he says the party holds an alternative view on the status of the declared presidential results," she said.

Justina's lawyer, Gichane Mbiu, said they lost to Ruto because Wajackoyah endorsed Raila at the peak of the campaigns.

"Most party followers failed to come to vote because Wajackoyah was supporting Raila. The rest went to vote for someone else," Mbiu told The Nairobian.

Wajackoyah and Justina failed to agree on meeting terms at the party headquarters last Friday.

Wajackoyah summoned Justina for disciplinary action, alleging that the party had suffered public ridicule and disrepute due to her continuous misrepresentation of the party's stand.

"It is in our knowledge that you have continuously disassociated yourself with the party and its ideologies. In line with the above and your failure to adhere to the Roots Party Constitution and Manifesto, the party finds it necessary to invite you to a disciplinary hearing on August 26, 2022, at 2:30 pm, at the Party's head office," said a letter to Justina.

In her response, Justina claimed that Wajackoyah wanted her to face the disciplinary committee alone.

Mbiu said it was wrong for Wajackoyah to insist that Justina should not be accompanied by her lawyers.

"I was summoned by the party disciplinary committee at the party headquarters on August 26. I went to meet the disciplinary committee, which is headed by Wajackoyah. I went with my lawyers and my husband, but he wanted me to go inside alone," Justina said.

She dismissed Wajackoyah's allegations that he funded her accommodation and car.

Justina said she understands that Wajackoyah wants her out of the party but she won't resign.

"I am waiting for the dismissal letter and leave," she said.