Kirinyaga residents want Karua to stop case against Waiguru

Protestors march to the Kerugoya High Court on September 18, 2017 demanding that Narc Kenya leader Ms Martha Karua withdraws an election petition against Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru. PHOTO | GEORGE MUNENE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The protestors were accompanied the thirty-three members of the Kirinyaga County Assembly.
  • They insisted that Ms Waiguru was elected by the people and that Ms Karua should leave her alone.
  • Ms Karua, in a sworn affidavit, said the governorship poll was not credible, free and fair.

Hundreds of Kirinyaga residents Monday demonstrated at the Kerugoya High Court demanding that Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua withdraws an election petition she filed against Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru.

Tension was high for the better part of morning as the demonstrators attempted to storm the court where the case was set for hearing.

However, they were repulsed by anti-riot police who were on standby.

The protestors were accompanied the thirty-three members of the Kirinyaga County Assembly and vowed to remain put until their demand is met.

UNHAPPY WITH PETITION

The demonstrators said they were unhappy with Ms Karua's decision to sue Governor Waiguru and swore to pile pressure on her until she withdrawals the petition.

They insisted that Ms Waiguru was elected by the people and that Ms Karua should leave her alone.

Mr Murango Kamau, a ward representative, said all the MCAS were in solidarity with Ms Waiguru.

"We had come to court to prove that we are supporting our governor who was validly elected," said Mr Kamau.

The demonstrators confronted and booed Ms Karua when she arrived for the hearing of her case.

But undeterred, Ms Karua, who was accompanied by her lawyer Gitobu Imanyara, said the demonstrators were hired by her political rivals.

CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT

“There is no amount of intimidation that will discourage me from pursuing my constitutional rights,” Ms Karua said.

Later while making his submissions in court, Mr Imanyara said that he and his client were late for the session after they were blocked by hired goons.

"Your honour, as we were coming, we were blocked by hired goons and that is why we were not able to arrive in court on time," he said in reference to the demonstrators.

Ms Karua moved to court a fortnight ago and filed a petition challenging Ms Waiguru's win.

While filing the petition, Ms Karua urged the court to issue orders compelling the IEBC to provide available electronic information of the gubernatorial poll.

UNFIT FOR OFFICE

She also sought to have Ms Waiguru declared unfit to contest for governor or any other elective post for allegedly committing electoral offences.

In her sworn affidavit, Ms Karua said the governorship poll was not credible, free and fair since there was cheating and intimidation of voters.

Further, Ms Karua said voter bribery was rife while her agents were locked out of the polling stations.

She observed that tampering with ballot boxes and forgery of ballot papers were widespread during the August 8 polls.

Ms Karua said that the poll results transmitted by the presiding officers to the county tallying centre were based on forged forms and did not bear the signatures of her agents.

Governor Waiguru garnered 161,373 votes while Ms Karua got 122,091 votes.