By Sarah Omondi
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission has flagged out 241 aspirants over integrity issues related to graft and economic crime and forwarded the names to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission for disqualification from vying in the August elections.
The aspirants who include three seeking the Presidency seat, 61 gubernatorial hopefuls, 58 seeking MP seats, 19 for Women Rep seats, six for Senate and 94 MCA aspirants were picked from a list of 21, 863 aspirants subjected to an integrity verification exercise.
In June 1 report by EACC to the electoral agency, the anti-graft agency said the 241 had fallen short of moral and ethical standards stipulated for election to public office.
“EACC hopes that IEBC will make appropriate decisions guided by constitutional values and public interest,” the report read in part.
Chief Justice Martha Koome has already constituted a bench to hear and determine petitions filed in court seeking clarification of the law on integrity threshhold for elective offices.
The outcome of the court process, EACC says, will further inform IEBC decisions on eligibility of aspirants.
Those flagged include Usawa kwa Wote Presidential candidate and Murang’a Governor Mwanga wa Iria who is accused of destroying evidence during a search warrant by EACC sleuths and who EACC has instituted a suit for recovery of Sh542 million believed to be proceeds of corruption.
Governors Anne Waiguru (Kirinyaga), Fahim Twaha (Lamu), Muthomi Njuki (Tharaka Nithi), Ali Korane (Garissa), Godhana Dhadho (Tana River), Okoth Obado (Migori), Alfred Mutua (Machakos) and Marsabit’s Mohamud Ali Mohamed are the incumbents facing abuse of office and graft cases.
Also listed are ex-Governors Mike Sonko (Nairobi) vying for Mombasa Governor seat, Evans Kidero (Nairobi) seeking Homabay’s top seat, Mwangi Daniel Waithaka (Nyandarua) and Godana Doyo of Isiolo both seeking a comeback on Democratic Party and Independent tickets respectively.
Mr Doyo was charged in ACC 2/2017 alongside two others over alleged abuse of office but the matter was withdrawn under Section 87 (a) of the Criminal Procedure Code.
The aspirant was also charged in Meru vide Case No Meru ACC 10 of 2015 with counts relating to irregular substitution of supplementary budget for fiscal year 2013/14. The charges were later withdrawn by the Director of Public Prosecutions in January 2019.
Forged certificates
Ibrahim Abdi Hassan aka Kayole who Doyo lost Jubilee ticket to is being investigated over alleged fake academic certificate.
EACC is verifying whether his Bachelor of Commerce in Human Resource Management degree purportedly issued by Gretsa University on December 19, 2018 is genuine.
Turkana Gubernatorial ODM aspirant Ekamais Jeremiah Lorumukai is also on the spot over a fake degree certificate allegedly issued by the Kenya Methodist University in 2016 which the institution later revoked.
Thuo Mathenge seeking to unseat Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga on The New Democrats Party is said to have a fake degree certificate (Nyeri Election Petition 1 of 2013 and Civil Appeal 29 of 2013) which made him get disqualified from contesting in 2017 general elections.
Samburu’s Jubilee gubernatorial candidate and former Principal Secretary Richard Lesiyampe has also been flagged over irregular purchase of maize at the National Cereals and Produce Board.
He was charged over failure to follow procurement law but his charges were later withdrawn by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Among the incumbent MPs in the list is Gladys Shollei (Uasin Gishu), John Walukhe (Sirisia), Oscar Sudi (Kapseret), Didmus Barasa (Kimilili) and Alfred Keter of Nandi Hills.
MCAs whose eligibility is in question are Isiolo’s Oldonyiro rep David Lemantile and his Garbatulla counterpart Abdi Sora who both are facing charges for allegedly producing a false document purporting to be supplementary budget of Isiolo county government (Meru ACC 10 of 2015).
Also in the list is Abothuguchi West’ Daniel Kiogora said to have presented a forged degree certificate in Bachelor of Commerce purportedly from University of Nairobi (2010) in his recruitment as Meru County Chief Executive in charge of Youth, Gender and Sports. (ACC. E002/2021).
Additional reporting by Betty Luke
