Court upholds Ole Lenku's election as Kajiado governor
Kajiado Governor Joseph Ole Lenku gives a speech at the Maa community luncheon organised by the Mount Kenya Foundation at Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi on January 25, 2022. The High Court has upheld his election as Kajiado governor in the 2022 General Election.
The High Court on Thursday upheld Joseph ole Lenku's election as Kajiado governor, citing a lack of evidence by the petitioner.
The ruling by Justice Janet Mulwa was on a petition initially filed by Mr Katoo ole Metito, who was later appointed State House comptroller.
Mr Ole Metito, the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) 2022 gubernatorial candidate in Kajiado, withdrew from the petition after his appointment.
Mr Paul Kerempu, a teacher and former employee of the county government, took over the petition against Mr Ole Lenku.
Urging the court to invalidate Governor Ole Lenku's win, the petitioner had cited eight allegations, including voter bribery, ballot box stuffing, involvement of county officers in the electoral process as agents, and UDA agents' denial from accessing polling stations.
Justice Mulwa dismissed the petition, slapping the petitioner with Sh2 million in cost.
She said the petitioner failed to prove his case,and the allegations presented before the court were not substantiated.
"The petitioner will always have a burden of proof over the allegations for the court to invalidate any election. The court hereby dismisses the petition with a cost," ruled Justice Mulwa.
Last December, Mr Ole Lenku told a court that he won the August 9 gubernatorial vote fair and square and that the outcome was a true reflection of the people's will.
The governor said he beat Mr Ole Metito, his closest challenger, in three out of five constituencies and admitted that he was defeated in his native Kajiado South Constituency as well as the urban Kajiado North Constituency.
Mr Kerempu alleged irregularities in the election and claimed that candidates in the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) were denied access to polling stations, especially in Kajiado South.
With his victory upheld, Mr Ole Lenku will now have to confront the county’s ballooned wage bill, drought affecting at least 400,000 families, youth unemployment, water scarcity, and lack of sewer lines in satellite towns, among myriad challenges in his final term in office.
Mr Ole Lenku garnered 117,600 votes while his closest challenger, the UDA candidate, polled 111,725 votes.
