Maendeleo Chap Chap to sue Wiper, Senator Omar
Wiper Party Secretary General Hassan Omar addresses the press at Renaissance Centre in Kizingo, Mombasa, on April 17, 2017. He said a rival party plotted to disrupt its nominations. PHOTO | WACHIRA MWANGI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Wiper plans to field a strong candidate who will floor Dr Alfred Mutua, the Maendeleo party leader, in the August 8 elections.
Maendeleo Chap Chap party will sue Wiper's secretary general Hassan Omar for claiming that it planned on interfering with the latter's primaries.
Mr Omar, also Mombasa senator, had said that a rival party was plotting to cause violence during Wiper Democratic Party's gubernatorial nominations that had been scheduled for tomorrow.
As a result, Wiper postponed the activity.
"We have instructed our lawyers to pursue Wiper and its Secretary General for both misleading and inciting the public,” Mr Jackson Mwalulu, Wiper's director of Political Affairs said.
MUTUA'S OPPONENTS
Mr Mwalulu said that contrary to claims by Mr Omar, no Maendeleo party governorship primaries for Machakos had been planned.
"The false statement he made is also legally actionable and is an election offense," he said in the press statement.
Wiper plans to field a strong candidate who will floor Dr Alfred Mutua, the Maendeleo party leader, in the August 8 elections.
Dr Mutua is rivalled by former Chama Cha Uzalendo party leader Wavinya Ndeti, Deputy Governor Bernard Kiala (Machakos) and the outgoing East African Legislative Member Peter Mathuki.
CONSENSUS
Sources in Wiper claim that Ms Ndeti is likely to get the party's ticket for she is perceived as "Dr Mutua's greatest threat".
In the 2013 elections, the incumbent garnered 262,264 votes against Ms Ndeti’s 93,932 votes.
However, Mr Omar has maintained that the party is not supporting any specific person as it is the electorates who must decide, if those eyeing the gubernatorial position fail to agree through consensus.
