NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 6 — Chief Justice Martha Koome has designated High Court Judge Richard Mwongo to hear and determine a petition challenging the outcome of the Mbeere North parliamentary by-election.
Koome designated the judge in Gazette Notice No. 17623 published on Friday to preside over the petition at the Embu High Court.
“In exercise of the powers conferred by section 75 of the Elections Act, 2011, and Rule 6(3) of the Elections (Parliamentary and County Elections) Petition Rules, 2017, the Chief Justice of the Republic of Kenya directs that the election petition whose details are given hereunder shall be heard in the Election Court comprising the Judge listed and sitting at the court station indicated,” read the notice.
The move comes amid growing political pressure after the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) declared Leonard Muthende of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) as the MP-elect following a by-election on November 27.
Muthende clinched the seat with 15,802 votes, narrowly beating Newton Kariuki (Karish) of the Democratic Party (DP), who garnered 15,308 votes after a tense by-election that drew nationwide attention.
‘State interference’
On December 1, Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka accused President William Ruto and senior government officials of orchestrating state interference in both the Mbeere North and Malava by-elections.
During a church service in Machakos, Kalonzo alleged that police officers, local administrators, and even Cabinet Secretaries were deployed to influence results in favour of UDA candidates.
“William Ruto knows UDA did not win in Mbeere and UDA did not win in Malava,” he claimed.
“We have evidence — direct interference. He himself called the OCS at one station and another in Mbeere and said it is absolutely necessary that Wamuthende must win.”
Kalonzo insisted that tallying at several polling stations was compromised, alleging officials were pressured to align results with instructions from senior state figures.
“There was no voter tallying… they were looking for the number that Ruto wanted,” he said, adding that some voters and agents were chased away during the process.
He further accused police of working “in coordination with hooligans” to intimidate voters and disrupt tallying.
“Ruto used the police. Their job was to help the hooligans… We have seen it, and we are going to deal with it,” he said.
The opposition has vowed to file what Kalonzo described as a “strong, comprehensive legal petition.”
Despite the claims, the IEBC has affirmed the legitimacy of the declared outcomes.
With Justice Mwongo now assigned to handle the Mbeere North petition, the case will move to formal hearing stages at the Embu High Court.
The petition is expected to draw national attention, given the narrow margin, high political stakes, and serious allegations leveled by the opposition.
