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Kenya

Bullfighter Khalwale gored out of Parliament

KAKAMEGA, Kenya, Feb 18 – Ikolomani legislator Bonny Khalwale on Friday became the latest MP to lose his parliamentary seat after the High Court in Kakamega nullified his 2007 election.

Justice Isaac Lenaola nullified the election of Mr Khalwale citing electoral malpractices.

The petitioner, Bernard Shinali, argued that serious discrepancies were detected and the court granted his plea to inspect Forms 16A and 17A in June last year.

The inspection concluded that seven out of 78 ballot boxes inspected did not either have the documents or had more than required by law and this, it was argued, affected the result.

Mr Shinali\’s lawyer Stephen Mwenesi had applied for summary judgment based on recorded facts of an inspection of documents that was ordered by the court on June 9 that showed that the parliamentary election was riddled with irregularities.

He said results in the Kenya Gazette showed that Mr Khalwale got less votes than were filled in the manual form 17A.

Dr Khalwale now becomes the 10th MP to lose his seat in an election petition. Others are Omingo Magara (South Mugirango), Joel Onyancha (Bomachoge), John Ngata Kariuki (Kirinyaga Central), George Thuo (Juja) and  Dick Wathika (Makadara).

Abdirahman Hassan (Wajir South), Ali Chirau Mwakwere (Matuga), Margaret Wanjiru (Starehe) and Simon Mbugua (Kamukunji) were also floored at the High Court.

Dr Khalwale who chaired the Public Accounts Committee is a fiery politician who is known for his contribution in Parliament.

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The ex-MP known as ‘the bullfighter’ for his enthusiasm with the sport which is practised by his community is known for holding the bulls by the horn.

The MP was one of the most vocal debaters in the 10th Parliament.

In February 2009 the he engaged the then Agriculture Minister William Ruto in a heated debate over the Maize Scandal. Mr Khalwale had filed a Motion of Censure against Mr Ruto claiming the Minister was at the centre of the scandal that nearly brought Prime Minister Raila Odinga\’s Orange Democratic Movement to its knees.

The MP was also behind a Motion that caused the ouster of Amos Kimunya from the Cabinet in 2008 over the sale of the Grand Regency Hotel when he was the Minister for Finance.  He later made it back to the Cabinet in the Transport portfolio.

During the debate, Dr Khalwale is remembered for saying: "To stop corruption at the Treasury, Kimunya must go; to repossess the Grand Regency Hotel, Kimunya must go; to assure members of the public who were misdirected into buying Safaricom shares without adequate information, Kimunya must go!"

Dr Khalwale\’s latest attack was on Agriculture Minister Sally Kosgei where he bragged that he would teach her a lesson in real politics after she boycotted an event under her docket that was officiated by the PM.  But this seems to have ended mid air as he is no longer playing in her league.

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