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Semelang’o furious after IEBC Mathare poll order

Semelang'o who was sacked as chairman of the fund’s board in March was barred from vying since he held public office six months prior to the by-election/FILE

Semelang’o who was sacked as chairman of the fund’s board in March was barred from vying since he held public office six months prior to the by-election/FILE

NAIROBI, Kenya, July 16 – Former Youth Enterprise Development Fund board chairman Gor Semelang’o has threatened legal action after the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) disputes resolution committee barred him from contesting the Mathare parliamentary seat.

Semelang’o who was sacked as chairman of the fund’s board in March was barred from vying since he held public office six months prior to the by-election.

A public official who seeks to contest elections must relinquish office six months before venturing into politics.

Semelang’o however reads mischief in the decision by the IEBC disputes committee, saying a rival party may have influenced its decision.

“I will definitely move to court tomorrow (Thursday),” Semelang’o who planned to vie as an independent candidate told Capital FM News on telephone.

“I am seeing ODM’s hand in this,” he said, insisting; “I have grounds to contest this decision because it is not fair at all.”

According to Semelang’o, the law barring a State officer from contesting an election without resigning six months in advance cannot apply to him because he was sacked.

“There is no way I could have resigned prior to the by-election six months earlier because I was sacked,” he said, vowing to file a suit at the High Court on Thursday morning because “my fundamental rights have been violated.”

Semelang’o was fired by Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru under unexplained circumstances and the position taken over by Bruce Odhiambo.

He had chaired the board since January 16, 2013 when he was appointed by former President Mwai Kibaki.

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Semelang’o still had two more years left to serve as per the gazette notice that formalised his appointment.

His sacking drew uproar from a section of leaders who felt he was unfairly targeted by the current regime.

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