Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Why TNA wants Kethi out of the race


Updated Wednesday, June 26th 2013 at 00:03 GMT +3
Kethi Kilonzo addresses supporters in Wote market, Tuesday.  [PHOTO: DENNIS KAVISU/STANDARD]
BY DANIEL NZIA and RAWLINGS OTIENO
Kenya: Rival Jubilee and CORD coalitions clashed over the validity of the candidature of the lateMutula Kilonzo’s daughter, Kethi Kilonzo, for the Makueni Senate seat by-election.
The National Alliance (TNA) lit the fuse with a claim that Kethi is not a duly registered voter and should not be cleared to contest the July 22 by-election.
The law requires that one must be registered as a voter in an area he or she wants to contest a parliamentary or any elective seat.
 CORD leaders Raila Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka unveiled Kethi at Wote Town, Makueni, as the coalition’s candidate. Kethi secured the Wiper Party nomination certificate. She is due to submit her papers to the IEBC on tomorrow.
When asked about the matter on Monday over her registration as voter, Kethi said those with such queries should meet her on Thursday when she will be presenting her nomination papers to IEBC.
When contacted over the issue, the IEBC coordinator for Lower Eastern, Ruth Kulundo, said she was checking it out with the electoral body in Nairobi.
“I am told she is a registered voter in Nairobi but I do not know which constituency,” she told The Standard on telephone.
Unconfirmed reports indicated she registered at Woodley estate in Kibra constituency. Yesterday, efforts to reach Kethi for comment as to whether she is a registered voter or not proved futile since her phone numbers were not going through.
 In a letter addressed to the IEBC Chairman Isaac Hassan, TNA alleges that Kethi does not appear in the voter registration roll and did not vote in the March 4, General Election.
“TNA urges IEBC to reject the proposed candidature of Kethi on the grounds that she is not legally qualified to contest for a parliamentary seat under the relevant section of the Elections Act,” the letter written by TNA lawyer Jasper Mbiuki stated.
In their letter, TNA relied on Kethi’s Identification Card number to dismiss that she is not under the IEBC register. However, IEBC register also contains registered persons who used passports to register. TNA further reminded IEBC that it does not have the legal authority to register any new voters with respect to the Makueni Senate by-election.
TNA also argued that Wiper Democratic Party couldn’t field another candidate to replace Kethi.
This is by virtue of Section 13(2) of the Elections Act which states: A political party shall not change the candidate nominated after the nomination of that person has been received by the Commission,” the letter stated.
TNA said considering her impending disqualification, her participation either as a candidate or as a voter would be a criminal act punishable by a fine not exceeding Sh1 million or six years imprisonment.

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