Mbugua to vie for seat on Kanu ticket

Wednesday, 27 April 2011 00:04 BY ISAAC ONGIRI

PNU Simon Mbugua casts his vote at the Bomas of Kenya.Photo/File

FORMER Kamukunji MP Simon Mbugua is among seven candidates to be cleared for the Kamukunji by-elections by the IIEC starting today.
Mbugua decamped to Kanu and is today expected to present his papers in preparation for the race alongside six other candidates. He was last week knocked out of the PNU nominations by Yusuf Hassan of ODM-Kenya.
His move is likely to spur controversy as different interpretations were yesterday being advanced over the Political Party’s Act with his critics scheming to have him stopped from presenting his papers.
Yesterday, Mbugua confirmed that he is the race to recapture the seat he lost through a petition and called on his supporters not to lose hope despite his exit from PNU. “I can confirm that I am in the race. The people of Kamukunji are hoping for a democratic determination of who will become their MP,”Mbugua said.
Mbugua said he has put all his papers in order and that over 16 senior lawyers have interpreted the act and urged him to go ahead.“We are aware of clandestine interpretation of the so called political party’s act. Reading one part of it just to block Mbugua from running is unjust, “he said.
Yesterday, the returning officer for Kamukunji Joseph ole Masindet said the law will be followed and that justice will be done to all candidates.
Masindet confirmed that Mbugua is among candidates who have collected nomination papers from the IIEC in readiness for presentation today and tomorrow.
But The Registra of Political Party’s Lucy Ndungu said the law is complicated in Mbugua’s acse.“Article 17 of the Political Party’s Act requires that one gives 14 days notice to the Registra of Political Party’s before defecting,” Ndung'u said.
Yesterday, senior IIEC officials were in a meeting to discuss Mbugua’s case and how to deal with it giving the unclarity of the act.
One commission who did not want to be quoted said that the act must be reviewed to be effective arguing that nothing in law will stop Mbugua from running under the act.
Kanu secretary general Nick Salat who though declined to confirm or deny that Mbugua was Kanu’s candidate promised to release more details today. “I will speak about the Kanu issue and Kamukunji elections tomorrow,”Salat said.