Eleventh Kenyan MP lose seat in Election petition

Lost seat:Waibara and his lawyer Evans Ondiek

Today another Member f Parliament lost his seat following a successful election petition. Gatundu North Mp Clement Waibara becomes the eleventh MP to lose election following the disputed 2007 elections that led to the post-election violence.

Making his ruling Justice Fred Ochieng’ said that even though all the main actors of the petition who include the petitioner Bernard Chege Mburu, Patrick Muiruri and Martin Ndung’u Kahura were doubtful characters and are unreliable witnesses the court cannot close its eyes to electoral irregularities that were committed by the ECK officials.

“ECK failed to sign form 16 A and putting all the details that are required. And on that ground alone Waibara was not validly elected and in hereby nullify his election,” ruled Ochieng’.

Out of the 11 concluded election petitions all were nullified by court and only three MPs have been able to recapture their seats after by elections.The three are  Chirau Mwakwere (Matuga),Margaret Wanjiru (Starehe) and Boni Khalwale (Ikolomani)

Those who have lost  seats are:

• Walter Nyambati(Kitutu Masaba )
• Joel Onyancha (Bomachoge)
• Omingo Magara (South Mugirango)
• Simon Mbugua (Kamukunji)
• Dick Wathika (Makadara)
• George Thuo (Juja)
• Ngata Kariuki (Kirinyanga Central)
• Abdirahman Hassan (Wajir South)

This again bring us back to the question of how fair the 2007 elections were. If these numbers of MPs who have lost their seats is anything to go by,then the defunct Electoral Commission of Kenya(ECK) messed the entire electionsin 2007 that led to bloodbath.

Therefore we can argue that most of our sitting MPs could be home by now if the losers in their constituencies were smart enough to file a case to challenge their wins in court.

We hope that the newly formed Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) will stand up for Kenyans who for a long time have been cheated by the electoral system.

Raila axe Ruto,Sambili from cabinet

Out in the cold :Former Higher Education William Ruto and EAC minister Hellen Sambili have been sacked

Finally Prime Minister Raila Odinga has made his threat a reality by sacking his friend turned foe William Ruto. The former Higher Education minister was sacked today when Raila made changes in his side of the  coalition.

Hellen Sambili and Aden Duale who have stood by Ruto were also shown the door. The sacking was contained in a Presidential Press Service statement released this afternoon.

Axed ministers

1. William Ruto former Higher Education
2. Hellen Sambili East African cooperation
3. Aden Duale assistant Livestock minister

In

1. Moses Wetang’ula back to the Foreign Affairs docket after the Japan Embassy scandal
2. Prof Margaret Kamar replaces William Ruto at Higher Education
3. Musa Sirma replaces Sambili  Eat Africa Community
4. Voi MP Dan Mwazo assistant minister livestock
5. Wajir North MP Mohamed Gabbow was named Special Programmes assistant minister
6. Manson Nyamweya was appointed Trade assistant minister.
7. Julius Murgor was named Environment and Mineral Resources assistant minister

Did Raila and Kibaki play tribal card in Attorney General nomination?

Nominated Attorney General Githu Muigai(l) chat with out going AG Amos Wako during an LSK dinner

“We said it, now see! A pact by 2 tribes to eat together. One says “Ok, you take AG but give me the other 2” and the other says “Yes, that is a deal,” reads a comment by one reader in reaction to the appointment of Githu Muigai as Attorney General, Agnes Odhiambo as Controller of Budget and Edward Ouko as Auditor General.

Kenya Judiciary embarks on new dress for judges,magistrates

The Hated wig: Judge Ibrahim of the Mombasa courts

The judiciary has already embarked on a process of designing a new dress code for the judiciary . The process is spearheaded by Joy Mboya of the GoDown art centre who has already come up with sketches and colors of the dress.

Nature’s best at Murchison National Park

Sunrise at Murchison Falls National Park in Uganda

THE ferry crossing at Paraa is itself a tourist attraction. Sitting on the ferry early morning as I listened to nature’s songs, I could not help but whistle along, joining the birds in the air. At 6:30am, the vast Victoria Nile which bisects Murchison Falls National Park into two, had turned yellowish, illuminating the colour of the rising sun. Experiencing dawn on the ferry was sacred. I looked at fellow travellers enjoying the gift of nature.

Hunger in Horn of Africa

View “Hunger in Kenya” on Storify

Hunger: How politicians have failed Kenyans

A Kenya Redcross lorry is flagged of at Uhuru Park in Nairobi to take food to the hunger stricken families in Northern Kenya on Sunday

Early this week Finance minister Uhuru Kenyatta posted a tweet congratulating Kenyans on their effort in raising money for the hungry in Northern Kenya through the Kenyans4kenya initiative.

How a smart car works

The smart car may just be the car of the next century. Germany and USA  plan to have at least on million smart cars in each country by 2020.