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Confusion as Ngilu's name appears in list of Kitui governor candidates

IEBC says any votes cast for her would be void because she withdrew from the race on July 19.

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by JOHN MUCHANGI

News09 August 2022 - 11:30

In Summary


  • •On the ballot papers, Ngilu was listed the fourth candidate after former governor Julius Malombe, former Nairobi DG Jonathan Mueke and former Kitui Senator David Musila. 
  • •But MP Mwalika Mboni, who was defending his seat, regretted the mix-up and the decision by IEBC to suspend the MP elections. 
Kitui governor Charity Ngilu and gubernatorial aspirant David Musila at a past event in Kitui town.

There was confusion among some voters in Kitui because Governor Charity Ngilu's name appeared on the ballot papers for the gubernatorial position despite her having withdrawn from the race.

IEBC Kitui County Returning officer Macharia Gichichi said the presence of Ngilu's name in the candidate's list was null and void since on July 19th she wrote to IEBC withdrawing from the race.

However, Macharia predicted some voters would still end up voting for her.

On the ballot papers, Ngilu was listed the fourth candidate after former governor Julius Malombe, former Nairobi DG Jonathan Mueke and former Kitui Senator David Musila.

Ngilu had announced that she withdrew from the race in favour of Musila.

With Gichichi's assertion that any vote for Ngilu will be void, it is expected that a good number of votes cast in favour of Ngilu will be declared spoilt.

All the gubernatorial candidates voted in the respective polling centres with Mlaombe casting his vote at Ithiian Primary School, Mueke at Chuluni Secondary School, Musila at AIC Migwani Primary School and Ngilu at Itoleka Primary School.

Even as the election got underway in all the 1,581 polling where over 532,000 were expected to vote, voters in Kitui Rural constituency were left disenfranchised after IEBC failed to send ballot papers for the position of MP.

Although IEBC declared the suspension of voting for the position of MP in Kitui Rural, the Kitui County Returning officer, Gichichi, was unwilling to comment on the matter. All the polling stations had five ballot boxes excluding the one for Member of Parliament.

But MP Mwalika Mboni, who was defending his seat, regretted the mix-up and the decision by IEBC to suspend the MP elections.

He vowed to pursue IEBC to compensate him for the high campaign cost he had incurred.

Kitui West MP Edith Nyenze, who cast her vote at Kyondoni polling station shortly after the Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua, complained that six polling centres in her constituency, which she described as her stronghold, received ballot MP position papers late.

She said the delay in delivering the ballot papers was to be blamed on the presiding officers and asked IEBC to take disciplinary action against them.

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