Wiper Chairman David Musila said the party resolved to back Kalembe who is vying for the seat on The Independent Party ticket because it was an affiliate party in the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy/FILE
Wiper Chairman David Musila said the party resolved to back Kalembe who is vying for the seat on The Independent Party ticket because it was an affiliate party in the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy.
“The party has decided it will support the candidature of Kalembe Ndile though on a TIP ticket, and will not be fielding a candidate,” he said after chairing the party’s National Executive Council meeting.
This is after the High Court sitting in Machakos nullified election of Kibwezi West MP Patrick Musimba (an independent candidate) and ordered for a fresh election after a scrutiny of votes gave Kalembe 16,891 votes ahead of Musimba’s 16,773.
The party is also backing Stephen Mule to defend his Matungulu parliamentary seat.
“We are appealing to the people of Matungulu to vote for Stephen Ndinda Mule come the October 17 polls,” Musila said.
Mule became the first MP in the Eleventh Parliament to lose his seat after the High Court in Machakos ordered a repeat poll following the petition filed by four poll losers found that his election on March 4 was tainted with anomalies.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) required interested political parties to finalise their nominations and determine any disputes arising from the nominations by Monday September 2.
The IEBC further directed candidates in the Kibwezi West Constituency race to submit their nomination papers on September 19 and 20 respectively while those vying for the Matungulu seat will submit their papers on September 16 and 17 respectively.
In her ruling in July, Justice Lilian Mutende ordered a repeat poll following the successful petition filed by four poll losers including Thomas Musau Malinda of the New Democrats party, Moffat Maithya Muia (National Rainbow Coalition), Makenzi John Nthuli (Chama Cha Uzalendo) and Stephen Ndambuki Muli (Orange Democratic Movement).
Lady Justice Mutende ruled that there were numerous anomalies in Mule’s election, where he garnered 12,297 votes followed by Malinda’s 9,940.
Muia came in third with 8,775 votes, while Nthuli garnered 4,377 votes and Ndambuki 3,494 votes.
The court had heard that some polling centres were opened late and closed early in addition to some agents being locked out of some tallying centres.
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