NAIROBI, Kenya, March 6 – Lawmakers Gladys Wanga (Homa Bay – Woman Representative), Aisha Jumwa (Malindi), Fred Kapondi (Mt Elgon), and Ben Washiali (Mumias) are among 10 politicians the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) wants removed from office for fanning chaos.
The four alongside Senators Cleophas Malala (Kakamega), Millicent Omanga (Nominated), and National Assembly’s Chris Wamalwa (Kiminini), Charles Were (Kasipul Kabondo) and Feisal Abdallah (Msambweni) were Saturday issued orders to present themselves before the NCIC for questioning over political violence.
NCIC Chairperson Samuel Kobia named the ten in a media briefing following chaotic by-elections in parts of Western and Rift Valley regions on Thursday.
“These summons do not just indicate our intention to investigate and prosecute but rather also indicate the plan of the Commission to stop the unethical from occupying office,” Kobia told journalists.
“We will ensure the purveyors of hate and ethnic contempt are in jail, and as they wait to go to jail, we will put them out of the leadership of this country and ensure they never run again in this country,” he added.
While expressing concerns over the chaos which also saw the assault on electoral officials, Kobia said the events cast a dark shadow on the upcoming 2022 polls as politicians are likely to use divisive means to get elected.
He said the commission with the aide of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has launched a manhunt of the goons who frogmarched and insulted a female electoral officer in Matungu constituency.
Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commissioner (IEBC) had in a statement issued on Saturday singled out Malala as the agitator of an assault on the female poll official.
NCIC also condemned the assault of Lang’ata MP Nixon Korir by police during the London ward by-election in Nakuru even as it urged the Inspector General of police Hillary Mutyambai to take appropriate action on the officers.
Kobia further said he had written to Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission to seek the expulsion of the politicians from office for acting contrary to Chapter 6 of Constitution on leadership and integrity.
“We have asked the DCI to ensure that they can never attain a certificate of good conduct, we are taking a multi-agency approach in dealing with this vice,” he added.