Reprieve for aspirant as PPDT bars UDA from forwarding Kathambi’s name

The Political Parties Disputes Tribunal has barred the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party against recognizing Njoro MP Charity Kathambi as its candidate for the seat.

The tribunal has also stopped the party from submitting Kathambi’s name to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) as its nominee in the August 9th general elections.

This follows a petition filed by John Kariuki Kaniaru, an aspirant who disputed the April 14 nomination exercise and its results claiming it was marred with irregularities and illegalities.

“I went to the UDAs party’s tribunal and didn’t get justice. I moved to the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal with the same complaints and the matter is now at an advanced stage,” Kaniaru said.

In his application under certificate of urgency, Kaniaru sought orders staying the decision by the UDA party and its internal tribunal from declaring her as the UDA nominated candidate.

“In the event the first prayer is overtaken by events, a temporary order of injunction restraining UDA from submitting Kathambi’s name to the IEBC and the Registrar of Political Parties (RPP) as the party’s candidate for the parliamentary seat,” the application read further.

The deadline for submission of the list of candidates by political parties to the IEBC was set for April 28, giving Kaniaru a reprieve by a whisker.

“In the interim, prayers by in the applicant’s Notice of Motion application are hereby granted to be in force until further orders are issued by the Tribunal on Friday April 29,” the Tribunal’s orders read in part.

In the nominations, Kathambi emerged victorious with 18,340 votes against three other aspirants John Kaniaru (3,455 votes), John Njogu (1,588) and Chege Mwangi (425).

In his application, Kaniaru claims that voting in strongholds of the incumbent MP was allowed to continue until 9pm while in other areas they closed at 5pm.

He also claims that the nomination officials allowed voters to cast their ballot multiple times in some centres.

“Form 34B which was filled at the constituency tallying centre was submitted without signatures of agents contrary to the party laws. At some centers, the votes cast exceeded turnout,” Kaniaru said.