The political career of Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula on Tuesday January 19, 2015 survived a major test after the electoral commission ruled on retaining him in the voters register.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) gave Wetangula a lifeline after it ruled that his name will not be struck off the voter’s register following allegations of voter bribery in 2013.
IEBC commissioner Thomas Letangule who chaired a special committee constituted to try Wetangula ruled that the law (Elections Act) which proposes the deletion of the name of an offender from the voter register, lacks clarity.
He also ruled that deleting Wetangula’s name from the voter register would infringe on the senator’s rights.
Cord
Cord leader Raila Odinga was at the Milimani Law Court where the ruling was made in solidarity with Wetangula.
Had the ruling gone against the senator, Cord coalition may now be left with none of its three principals in parliament.
Wetangula is a co-principal of Cord, and politicians allied to the coalition have claimed that attempts to withdraw him from the voters register was the ruling coalition’s plot to weaken, intimidate and silence them.
Wetangula would subsequently lose his senate seat as Section 24 of the Elections Act states that a person must be a registered voter in order to qualify as an MP or other leadership position.
The minority leader in the Senate’s troubles started immediately after the March election when his rival Musikari Kombo went to court challenging his victory citing voter bribery and other electoral malpractices.
The election was nullified but Wetangula later recaptured the seat through a by-election in December 2013.
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