Matungu election petition fuels Raila Odinga, Musalia Mudavadi war
What you need to know:
- ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna has confirmed that its candidate, former MP David Were, has launched a petition against Mr Nabulindo’s win.
Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has begun the process of challenging the March 4 election of Mr Peter Nabulindo as the Matungu member of Parliament.
ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna confirmed Sunday that the party’s candidate in the poll, former MP David Were, has launched a petition against Mr Nabulindo’s win.
“This is the candidate’s petition …some of the grounds are voter suppression and violence,” Mr Sifuna told the Nation.
Mr Nabulindo vied under the Amani National Congress (ANC).
ANC deputy leader Ayub Savula also confirmed ODM’s move.
“ODM have issued an intention to file a petition against ANC’s victory in Matungu despite belonging in the same coalition – Nasa,” Mr Savula told the Nation.
The election
With Mr Nabulindo’s victory, ANC retained the Matungu parliamentary seat. He garnered 14,257 votes in the hotly contested by-election marred by chaos, violence and bribery allegations.
Mr Were came second with 10,555 votes while Alex Lanya, of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), which is associated with Deputy President William Ruto, came third with 5,513 votes.
Twelve politicians vied for the post independently.
The voter turnout was average, with 33,824 out of the 62,386 registered members of the public casting their ballots, translating to a rate of 54.22 per cent.
Nasa wars
Nasa - the National Super Alliance - was formed in January 2017 as an outfit strong enough to defeat President Uhuru Kenyatta and DP Ruto in the General Election.
Its principals - Mr Odinga, Mr Musalia Mudavadi (ANC), Mr Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper), Mr Moses Wetang’ula (Ford Kenya) - have since parted ways for various reasons.
The ANC, Wiper and Ford-Kenya party leaders, as well as Kanu chair Gideon Moi, have now formed the One Kenya Alliance excluding Mr Odinga.
The quartet last Thursday promised to push for the country’s “transformative agenda” through the new outfit.
“This alliance is a breath of fresh air from the toxic and divisive politics this country has witnessed in the past,” they said in a statement.