Jailed police impostor Joshua Waiganjo wants to be Njoro MP

Joshua waiganjo escorted by prison officers outside Nakuru law courts on June 16,2016 during the hearing of his case where he is accused of impersonating a police officer . [PHOTO:KIPSANG JOSEPH/Standard]

Convicted police impostor Joshua Waiganjo wants to be a member of Parliament.

Waiganjo, in a letter to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairman Wafula Chebukati dated February 13, sought clearance to vie for the Njoro constituency parliamentary seat in the upcoming polls

Waiganjo shot into the public limelight when he was charged in court for posing as a senior police officer in Nakuru.

In 2015, a Naivasha court jailed him for five years for impersonating a police officer, one year for dressing in police uniform, and six months each for three charges of being in possession of government stores. The sentences are running concurrently, meaning that he will only serve five years.

In his letter, Waiganjo tells IEBC that the people of Njoro want him be their MP and that he has no right to decline the call of his people.

"Sir, the people of Njoro have said they need me to be their MP in August and who am I to refuse the call of my people? So I am going for it," reads part of Waiganjo's letter.

"The will of the people is the will of God, your consideration to my application will be highly appreciated," he wrote.

Now a holder of certificates in various fields, including two diplomas in Bible studies and one in psychological counselling, Waiganjo said he intends to give the incumbent MP, Joseph Kiuna, a run for his money in the polls as an independent candidate.

On how he intends to achieve this from behind bars at Naivasha Maximum Prison, he argues that he has yet to exhaust all his appeals and is, therefore, not legally barred by the Constitution from vying for the MP's seat.

However, legal experts disagree.

According to the Rift valley Law Society of Kenya chairman, Mr Frank Mwangi, Waiganjo's only chance of vying for the seat is through the Court of Appeal - if he can get it to quash his sentence.

"It is not possible to vie for the seat until he completes his sentence or moves to the Court of Appeal to have it quashed," said the lawyer.

The IEBC received Waiganjo's letter on February 14 but has yet to reply to it.