• IEBC had last evening cleared six people to participate in the by-election in Kibra
• The seat became vacant following the death of area MP Ken Okoth on July 26.
Image: IMENDE BENJAMIN
The elections agency has so far cleared six candidates for the Kibra by-election even as ODM nomination winner Bernard Imran Okoth faces tribunal over an appeal.
ANC’s Eliud Owalo and Ford Kenya’s Khamisi Butichi were among those who got the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission's nod to contest in the high-stakes elections.
Others were Titus Mutinda of the Republican Liberty Party, Elija Abusa of Martha Karua’s Narc Kenya, Hamida Mala of UGM and Frida Kerubo, an independent candidate.
Ukweli Party candidate Editar Ochieng presented her papers but was turned away for incomplete documentation.
Peter Wangachi and Robert Odhiambo were expected to submit their papers for clearance yesterday, but requested to do so today.
The electoral agency's officials pitched tent at the Nairobi City County Hall on Ngong Road.
Jubilee Party’s McDonald Mariga and ODM candidate Bernard Imran Okoth are among the 13 candidates expected to present their papers for clearance. The exercise ends at 5pm today.
Mariga, whose candidature has split the ruling party was supposed to be issued with nomination certificate by Jubilee elections board yesterday.
However, the presentation exercise was cancelled under unclear circumstances.
“We have a long list but we shall have the exact number of contestants at 5pm tomorrow. After that, we shall start the process of printing voting materials,” county election manager Mele Eroo said.
Imran was last evening fighting to have his win in Saturday’s ODM nominations upheld after aspirant Peter Orero appealed to party’s Dispute Resolution Tribunal.
Imran, who is the late Kibra MP Ken Okoth’s brother, won the ODM primaries with 4,382 votes while Orero emerged second with 1,218 votes. The exercise was largely peaceful.
Okoth succumbed to colon cancer at the Nairobi Hospital on July 26.
Orero, who is the Dagoretti High School principal, claimed that the register which was used during the primaries was doctored to favour Imran.
Sources at Orange House disclosed that Orero alleged that Imran had had access to the register on account of his work as manager of Kibra Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
Orero claimed that Imran used the register while issuing of bursary funds to Kibra residents.
The tribunal was expected to deliver its verdict last evening.
Yesterday, Ford Kenya leader Moses Wetangula exuded confidence that the party’s candidate will win the polls.
"We have presented an illustrious candidate. We are going into this election with an admirable candidate. We are going to sell policies of the party and engage the people of Kibra at a personal level," he said.
(edited by O. Owino)