Court uphold Buuri and Mbeere parliamentary elections verdicts

The High Court in Meru and Embu yesterday threw out, with costs, petitions challenging the election of MPs Mugambi Rindikiri (Buuri) and Geofrey King'ang'i (Mbeere South) respectively.

In Meru, Justice Anne Ong’injo dismissed the petition filed by Mugambi Angaine of the Party of National Unity against Rindikiri, saying none of the grounds cited in the case had been proved to the court’s satisfaction.

And in Embu, Justice Robert Limo dismissed the case challenging the election of King’ang’i, the former aide-de-camp of retired President Mwai Kibaki, that was filed by Kamau Nyutu.

In the Buuri petition, Mr Angaine, who polled 15,887 votes, challenged the win of Jubilee Party candidate who garnered 17,480 votes in a crowded field of 14 contestants.

The petitioner, who was represented by Martin Gitonga, cited malpractices that included voter intimidation, vote buying and bribery, failure of electronic voter identification kits and manipulation of election results.

But the judge dismissed each of the grounds cited by the petitioner, and found the evidence of all his witnesses weak, unreliable or unsubstantiated.

The judge awarded costs capped at Sh1 million to the MP and Sh1 million to the poll agency and returning officer.

In Embu, Nyutu who lost to King’ang’i was directed to pay the MP and poll agency Sh1 million each.

Justice Limo ruled that the case lacked merit as Nyutu failed to prove allegations of malpractices, including use of witchcraft during the campaigns.

"The election was conducted in accordance to the dictates of the Constitution,” Limo said.