I'll withdraw case against 'my attackers', says Nyeri Town MP-elect

Nyeri Town MP-elect Maina Mathenge has promised to withdraw the charges he filed against his opponent’s supporters, who allegedly attacked him during campaigns.

Mathenge, who broke down in tears of joy after he was announced winner on Thursday, said he was grateful he had won in his fourth stab. He said he will withdraw the cases as a way of celebrating his victory.

He said two men had been arrested and charged for attacking him during the campaigns.

This was after the campaign between him and his predecessor, Ngunjiri Wambugu, turned acrimonious and physical.

The two, Mathenge said, were facing attempted murder charges but he would withdraw his complaints so the constituency can start with “a single-minded purpose of unity”.

“I will be a member of Parliament for every resident of Nyeri Town constituency. I will serve everybody without fear or favour,” he said.

Mathenge urged political rivals to unite with him to take the constituency to the next level.

He said he was committed to working with other leaders to solve the problems residents face.

But his predecessor, Wambugu, who is yet to concede defeat, appears to be preparing for a court battle with Mathenge. He has indicated he is contemplating filing a petition.

Wambugu claimed the numbers were manipulated during the election process.

“If you won legit, it’s easy to prove. You should only worry if you loaded a consistent number of votes per polling station,” he wrote on his Facebook page.

“Petitions are part of the electoral process. So it’s weird some are catching feelings. The right to petition an election is available to all Kenyans.”

Wambugu told his opponents the petition will confirm if his win was legitimate.

Mathenge of UDA won by 41,007 against Wambugu's (Jubilee) 11,808.

Edited by A.N