Kombo challenges governor poll outcome

By ROBERT WANYONY

Former nominated MP Musikari Kombo has filed a petition at the Bungoma High Court challenging the election of Trade Minister Moses Wetang’ula as Bungoma Senator.
Through a team of lawyers led by Fred Ngatia, Alfred Ndumbiri and Kibe Mungai, Kombo wants Wetang’ula’s election on a Ford-Kenya ticket overturned, citing flaws in the electoral process.
The former Local Government minister, who contested the seat on a New Ford-Kenya ticket, listed Wetang’ula and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) as defendants in his affidavit.
He has also cited inaccuracies in tallying of results by the IEBC officials and intimidation of his agents among other counts as some of the reasons why he wants the defendant’s election nullified.
No free and fair
The lawyers filed the petition that also included Kombo’s supposed evidence pointing out how the elections for the seat of senator in Bungoma County were not conducted in a transparent, free and fair manner.
Speaking to The Standard on phone after the presentation by his lawyers, Kombo expressed optimism that the court would nullify Wetangula’s election.
Kombo also said he has filed with the court some hate text messages send on his phone by the defendant.
“I have optimism that the petition will sail through because my legal team has listed several gray areas that constitute a very strong case against the defendant,” announced Kombo.
The race for Bungoma senator seat pitted the former PNU nominated legislator against Wetang’ula (CORD), Mukhisa Kituyi (UDF), Lawrence Sifuna (URP) and Jeremiah Kukubo (TNA).
Wetang’ula was declared the winner after garnering 158,408 votes against Kombo’s 125,853, Kituyi’s 22,041 and Sifuna’s 13,944.
Also in court with a similar mission was UDF’s John Chikati who arrived with a retinue of lawyers to obtain orders seeking to challenge the election of Dr David Eseli Simiyu as the Member of Parliament.