IEBC to hear 4 complaints against Sakaja’s Nairobi governor bid next week

Four complaints raised against the nomination of Nairobi Senator and United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party Nairobi Gubernatorial Candidate Johnson Sakaja will now be heard on Wednesday next week.

This is after the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Dispute Resolution Committee directed that all the matters be heard all together.

The complainants have raised issues touching on Senator Sakaja's academic qualifications, which they claim he could have been acquired fraudulently.

Sakaja is facing issues concerning his degree certificate from Team University in Uganda. Dennis Gakuo is one of the complainants who want his nomination revoked on the basis that he lacks a valid university degree.

"The substantive complaints in all the files will be heard on 15th of June 2022 at 2pm, the registry to facilitate the furnishing of all the complaints to all the parties at the parties costs,” T.T Tiego, the committee’s chairperson said on Sunday.

The petitioner accused Sakaja of fraud and forgery in acquiring the Team University degree certificate.

Another petitioner is Evans Kaita who has raised five issues relating to Sakaja academic qualification.

Timothy Ayieko and Alex Musalia have also filed complainants against Senator Sakaja, saying it is not clear how he completed the purported degree abroad while being a full time Member of Parliament  

Sakaja who was represented by Lawyer Adrian Kamotho wants one of the committee members to recuse himself from hearing and determining the matters.

"We will be seeking the recusal of Mr. Wanderi for the reasons that our client is sufficiently advised that he has relations with one of the candidates in the gubernatorial race of Nairobi,” Mr. Kamotho said.

At the same time, Murang'a Senator and UDA Murang'a Gubernatorial Candidate Irung'u Kangata will also know his fate on Wednesday after a petitioner moved to the committee to challenge his nomination on grounds that he violated the law by picking another running mate after his previous running mate was rejected for failing to resign from her previous job on time.

The committee heard submissions from Thomas Waithaka who has challenged his clearance on grounds that Kangata substituted his Deputy Governor nominee a day after the previous nominee, Dr. Winfred Njeri’s Deputy Governor application was rejected for failing to resign from her public position on time.

Waithaka says they brought the matter to the attention of the Returning Officer who failed to take action.