RAILA ODINGA REFUSES TO ACCEPT DEFEAT IN MATUNGU AND GOES TO COURT.

By Amunga Peter

DAVID WERE FILES A PETITION AGAINST THE ELECTION OF PETER OSCAR NABULINDO

DAVID WERE of Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has filed a petition at the High Court in Kakamega seeking to reverse the election of Amani National Congress’s Peter Nabulindo.

The ODM candidate David Were is seeking to challenge Nabulindo’s victory on grounds THAT there was massive corruption and illegal practices during the voting process.

“I pray that it be declared that Peter Oscar Nabulindo was not validly elected as MP. That the non-compliance, irregularities and improprieties in the by-election were substantial and significant to affect the results thereof,” said David Were in the suit papers.

David Were further wants Nabulindo, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), and John Kiplagat- the Matungu returning officer, to be held liable for irregularities committed during the election process.

David Were is represented in the election petition by his lawyers comprising former National Assembly speaker Kenneth Marende and Dr. Ken Nyaundi.

David Were further wants Nabulindo, the IEBC and Kiplagat to meet the costs of the petition.

“I urge the court to grant other orders that seem just and fit pertaining to this case,” Further said the former three-term MP for Matungu in his court papers.

Nabulindo emerged the winner of the March 4 parliamentary by-elections after he garnered 14,679 votes after a tally from all 116 polling stations. Were came in second with 10,500 votes while United Democratic Alliance candidate Alex Lanya took the third place with 4,813 votes. He was followed by Bernard Wakoli fourth with 1,304 while Christabel Jane Murunga emerged fifth with 365 votes.

The High Court of Kenya at Kakamega will deliver a ruling on whether the petition meets the threshold to challenge the election. The case was filed under a certificate of urgency.