Mbarire, Muchiri and Nyaga trade accusations over burnt UDA materials

Two legislators eyeing the Embu governor’s seat are embroiled in a war of words following Wednesday’s burning of UDA ballot materials that caused lengthy delays in the nominations.

Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen, who supervised the voting, said they had to replace 350 ballot boxes and other materials that were set ablaze.

Nominated MP Cecily Mbarire accused her competitor, Manyatta MP John Muchiri, and former MP Norman Nyaga of being behind the destruction of the materials.

She claimed that the two had sent supporters who barred a lorry ferrying the ballot materials from offloading them at the Mbeere South constituency tallying centre at the Ruika Technical Training Institute.

The UDA disciplinary committee has summoned Mr Muchiri, nominated MCA Margaret Lorna Kariuki and Mr Nyaga to appear before it at 9am on Saturday.

The three were seeking UDA tickets to contest the governor, woman rep and senator seats, respectively.

Ms Mbarire wrote to the party’s national elections board chairperson calling for “stun action” to be taken against the politicians.

“Initial information has indicated that goons sent by Hon Muchiri and Hon Norman Nyaga initially prevented the lorry from offloading party materials…,” she wrote.

“This forced the driver to drive back towards Embu, where on reaching the area around Izaak Walton hotel, the lorry was forcefully stopped by the said goons who went ahead to access the party materials being transported and subsequently burnt the materials therein.”

Arrived at the scene quickly

However, Mr Muchiri and Mr Nyaga denied playing any role in the incident, despite a viral video showing that the two were at the scene moments before the materials were offloaded and destroyed.

They said they arrived at the scene quickly because they were at the hotel when the incident happened.

The two claimed Ms Mbarire was framing them, accusing her of planning to rig the nominations.

“We became victims of circumstances by merely being at the right place but at the wrong time… We have enough evidence to table on Hon Mbarire’s obnoxious plans to rig the nominations,” they said.

Following the destruction of the ballot materials, voting throughout the county was delayed for hours, starting at 8pm in some parts of Mbeere South constituency.

The three are accused of “wilful criminal arson and destruction of party poll materials and incitement of the public against the party”.

“The party (has) video footage as well as information, material and other evidence which links you with the aforementioned criminal activity in gross violation of the Party Constitution and Code of Conduct,” read a letter to them from Mr Paul Karuga.

Mr Murkomen said police had also told the party that they had kicked off investigations and were zeroing in on suspects.

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