SIMON Mbugua will not contest the Kamukunji constituency by-elections scheduled for May 23. The former area member of parliament was turned away by the returning officer after a scrutiny of his papers revealed that he was nominated by his party Vipa Progressive Alliance on April 26 2011, five days after the expiry of the nomination period set by the Interim Independent Electoral Commission (IIEC).
The returning officer Joseph ole Masindet said that he realised Mbugua’s nomination was done after the stipulated time.“We noticed that he had breached the poll procedures. He did not comply with the gazette notice issued by the IIEC which stipulated that all party nominations must be done before April 21,”Masindet said.
Two other candidates were also dropped from the race leaving seven to contest the seat left vacant after Mbugua's election was nullified by the court.
A Ford Kenya candidate Joseph Chacha bowed out after his party recalled his nomination certificate in unclear circumstances. Chacha who had picked his nomination certificate two days ago was called to the office by a secretary who claimed the certificate had an error which had to be corrected.But after the politician handed over his paper, the official disappeared and switched off his phone forcing him out of the race.
The IIEC has now cleared Yusuf Hassan of PNU, Brian Weke of Narc Kenya, Ibrahim Ahmed 'Jonnie' of ODM among other candidates.The elections is now likely to be a three horse race between Yusuf,Jonnie and Weke who were all contestants in the last general elections. Yesterday Mbugua said that he will support one of the three candidates.
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