Mandera county gubernatorial looser on a ticket of Economic Freedom Party Noor Hassan (left) Noor,accompanied by politician Hassan Osman, leaves milimani law courts after he filed a petition challenging the win of Jubilee’s Ali Roba in the August 8th general elections/CFM NEWS
NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 5 – Seven petitions challenging Embu, Garissa, Tana River, Kirinyaga, Mandera, Machakos and Taita Taveta gubernatorial elections have been filed at High Courts spread across the country.
In Embu, former Senator Lenny Kivuti (Maendeleo Chap Chap) is seeking an annulment of Jubilee Party’s Martin Wambora win after an unsuccessful attempt to block his gazettement by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
In Garissa, former County boss Nathif Jama (Wiper Democratic Movement) is contesting the election of Ali Korane (Jubilee) citing what he has described as a “sham election marred with irregularities”.
In Tana River, the election of Orange Democratic Movement’s Dhadho Godana is being contested by Jubilee’s Hussein Dado who lost the seat by a slim margin.
Kirinyaga’s Anne Waiguru (Jubilee) is facing a legal challenge from NARC Kenya’s Martha Karua who while filing her petition at the Kerugoya High Court on Tuesday insisted that she had disputed the counting and tallying of the gubernatorial votes from the word go, saying there is need for a recount.
In Mandera County, Governor Ali Roba (Jubilee) is facing a challenge from his bitter rival Hassan Noor of the Economic Freedom Fighters party.
The two had at some point been summoned to appear before IEBC Code of Conduct Enforcement Committee after their supporters engaged in a violent confrontation during President Uhuru Kenyatta’s rally in the region.
Machakos Wiper gubernatorial candidate Wavinya Ndeti has made good her threat by challenging Governor Alfred Mutua’s re-election, citing electoral irregularities from which she argues the Maendeleo Chap Chap leader benefited, winning a second term.
Former journalist Granton Samboja (Wiper) who beat former Vice Chairperson of the Council of Governors John Mruttu (Independent) and former National Assembly Minority Whip Thomas Mwadeghu (ODM), is also facing a petition filed by a voter identified as Armstrong Kiwoi.
The petition is scheduled for hearing on September 18 in Voi.
A total of 13 parliamentary seats have also been contested in court so far, among them Garissa Township where Aden Duale’s re-election has been challenged by former Deputy National Assembly Speaker Farah Maalim.
Former Embakasi South MP Irshad Sumra has also filed a petition seeking the nullification of Musili Mawathe’s win, as well as Abdirahman Hussein who is contesting the election of Omar Mohamed Maalim as Mandera East MP.
Other parliamentary seats being contested are Kabuchai, Teso North, Teso South, Wajir West, Lamu West, Magarini, Gatundu North, Embakasi, Imenti North and Ugenya.
Only Kirinyaga and Wajir senatorial elections have been challenged so far.
In Kirinyaga, businessman Charles Kibiru (Independent) is facing a court battle from Jubilee’s Daniel Karaba.
Kenya African National Union’s Adow Mohammed Abikar is challenging the declaration of Jubilee’s Abdullahi Ibrahim Ali as Wajir senator citing fraud and coercion.
Some 45 aspiring Members of County Assembly are also challenging election of their competitors in Magistrates’ Courts.
In total there are 66 petitions challenging gubernatorial, senatorial and parliamentary elections.
Four petitions have also been filed in the High Court challenging the composition of party lists with six disputing the same at Magistrates’ Courts.
Petitioners have 28 days since the declaration of election results, within which to file petitions.
The petitions must be determined within six months of filing.
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