•Kang'ata was to be cleared on Monday but was given until Tuesday to prove that his initial running mate resigned from her government job on time.
•But on Tuesday, Kang'ata presented another running-mate Stephen Mburu Munania.
Image: FILE
It has now emerged that Murang’a governor aspirant Irungu Kang’ata was compelled to pick another running mate in order to be cleared by IEBC.
Kang’ata had been given until Tuesday to prove that allegations tabled before the IEBC that his running mate Winnie Mwangi had not resigned on time were false.
The candidate appeared before the commission on Tuesday morning where he submitted the name of another running mate, 29-year-old Stephen Mburu Munania.
Asked whether the allegations against Mwangi had been cleared, Kang’ata failed to answer the questions and cleverly led his team away from the interview.
He later accused his rivals of being behind his tribulations. He said his rivals wrote to IEBC to complain over Mwangi’s resignation in a bid to block his clearance.
On her part, Mwangi said the team was law-abiding and professional, and would not have engaged in anything that was in breach of the law.
Kang’ata’s lawyer Gachii Mwanza also failed to mention that his client had picked another running mate after the clearance hitch.
But later that evening, Kang’ata’s team started releasing posters that indicated that a new running mate had been picked.
Kang’ata who is the current Murang’a senator also released a statement on his social media, unveiling his new running mate.
“The IEBC shared a complaint drafted by a lawyer alleging that our deputy governor failed to resign from the University of Nairobi in due time.”
“The allegations were incorrect and based on a misunderstanding of employment law. Our view was that resignation takes effect from the date of filing the resignation letter. To aspirants, it takes effect from the date of salary stoppage,” the statement read.
He said his team took into account that the issue could have been a trap for prolonged litigation that would detract it from its campaigns and mutually agreed to replace the running mate.
Mburu hails from Karega village in Mbugiti, Gatanga sub-county.
He holds a degree in International diplomacy and has worked as an assistant County Commissioner, a position he left to vie for Kariara MCA.
“Winnie Mwangi remains part and parcel of the team. She will continue to offer her services as an expert in land matters,” Kang’ata said.
Other candidates, Wairagu Wa Maai (DP), Joseph Mbai (Usawa Kwa Wote), Henry Gaate (Independent) and Moses Mwangi (Safina Party) chose male running mates.