NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 28 – Former Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu has been cleared by the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) to vie for the Nairobi gubernatorial by-election slated for February 18, 2021 as an independent candidate.
John Macharia, an ORPP Registrar, cleared Waititu who was ousted as Governor in January 2020 after certifying that his high mast/flood light symbol does not belong to any registered political party.
Macharia also ascertained Waititu was not a member of any political party.
“According to the records held by this office, Ferdinand Ndungu Waititu, ID No. 4307917 is not a member of a fully registered political party as at December 28, 2020,” he said.
It is however, unclear whether the Wafula Chebukati-led electoral commission will clear him to contest in the February 18 Nairobi governorship race owing to his pending corruption case in court.
Waititu, his wife and eight county officials are facing charges in a Sh580 million graft scandal in which the family said to have received kickbacks from suppliers in the county.
Part of the qualifications outlined by the electoral body that need to be met before clearing a candidate to vie for governorship is that one must not have been found to have abused or misused state or public office or contravened Chapter Six of the Constitution; and also must not have been dismissed or removed from public office for contravening the provisions of Articles 75, 76, 77 and 78 of the Constitution.
So far exiled Kenyan-Canadian lawyer Miguna Miguna and Kimori Machoka, a former County Executive Committee Member under Governor Evans Kidero, have declared interest in the Nairobi Governor’s seat following the impeachment of Sonko.
The office was declared vacant on Monday, December 21, following the swearing-in of Nairobi County Assembly Speaker Benson Mutura as acting Governor.
The poll agency said it will publish, in the Gazette, the names of the persons contesting in party primaries and the dates of the party primaries within seven days of receipt of the names of the candidates.
Campaigns for the upcoming elections will begin on January 18 and end on February 15, 2021.
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