Karua challenges Waiguru’s win in court

What you need to know:

  • Ms Karua wants the petition certified as urgent and orders compelling the electoral agency to provide electronic information.
  • Ms Waiguru garnered 161,373 votes while Ms Karua was second with 122,091.

Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua on Tuesday moved to Kerugoya High Court to challenge the election of Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru.

She is seeking to have the election of Ms Waiguru nullified and fresh polls held in the county.

Accompanied by her lawyer Gitobu Imanyara, Ms Karua wants the petition certified as urgent and orders be issued to compel the electoral agency to provide electronic information of the gubernatorial elections.

Mr Imanyara said the Supreme Court set a precedent when it ruled that the presidential polls were marked with irregularities and cancelled President Uhuru Kenyatta's re-election.

SUPREME COURT

"This was one and the same election and we want the lower court to abide by the ruling of the Supreme Court and nullify the election of Ms Waiguru," said Mr Imanyara.

Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua (left) with his lawyer Gitobu Imanyara at the Kirinyaga law courts on September 5, 2017. Ms Karua has moved to court to challenge Ms Waiguru's win. PHOTO | GEORGE MUNENE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

She has sued the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission and the County Returning officer Mr Seki Lempaka.

Ms Waiguru, who was recently sworn into office as the second governor of the region was listed as the third respondent.

She also sought to have Ms Waiguru declared unfit to hold the gubernatorial position or any other elective post for allegedly committing electoral offences.

In her affidavit, Ms Karua states that the governorship elections were not credible, free and fair since there was cheating and intimidation of voters.

AGENTS

She said there were incidences of voter bribery and that her agents were locked out of polling stations.

"Tampering with ballot boxes and forgery of ballot papers were widespread during the August 8 polls," said Ms Karua.

She also argued that the elections results transmitted by the presiding officers to the county tallying centre and subsequent national tallying centre were based on forged forms and did not bear the signatures of the petitioner's agents.

Ms Karua was directed to serve the respondents with the petition papers pending the hearing of the suit on Friday before Justice Lucy Gitari

Ms Karua said she was not satisfied in the manner in which the gubernatorial polls were conducted and that is why she had instructed her lawyer to file the petition.

Ms Waiguru garnered 161,373 votes while Ms Karua was second with 122,091.