Migori to elect new county assembly speaker on Monday

Mr Boaz Okoth and Mr Kerario Marwa, who will run for Migori County Assembly Speaker on February 12, 2018. PHOTO | ELISHA OTIENO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The High Court last month nullified the election because rowdy youth disrupted the August 31, 2017 poll.

Migori MCAs will elect a new Speaker on Monday after the High Court last month nullified the election of Boaz Okoth.

Mr Okoth, who said he will run in the new poll, will face his former rival Mr Kerario Marwa.

SECURITY

They had both participated in the second round of voting on August 31, 2017, which was disrupted by rowdy youth.

Lobbying has intensified to win the vote of the 56 ward representatives with some being “kept” in Kisumu so as not to be influenced by an opponent.

Migori High Court Judge Hillary Chemitai directed police to provide security to protect the venue of the fresh elections and avert another possible disruption.

The court, which also dismissed the election of Deputy Speaker George Omamba, concluded that the election was marred by chaos, making it difficult to ascertain credibility of the polls.

“Strangers stormed the chambers and disrupted the poll proceedings during the second round of voting…I question how they gained entry into the guarded precincts of the assembly,” he said.

“It appeared like an organised scheme…clerk to the assembly (Mr Tom Opere) asked members of the county assembly to have thick skin when he reconvened the House at 7pm where Mr Okoth was elected Speaker,” he added.

ELECTION

The petitioner, Mr Marwa, who had won in the first round but did not garner two-thirds majority, did not participate in the 7pm repeat poll.

He was whisked away by his aides following disorder in the assembly in which one MCA fainted and several ballot boxes and papers were destroyed.

The election is scheduled to be supervised by the deputy registrar of the High Court, who will file his report after the poll.