Former Governor, Peter Munya, now wants the Meru High Court
to order the electoral commission to grant access to county’s KIEMS kits before
the October 26 Repeat Presidential Election, arguing that evidence of
malpractice might be tampered with.
The Party of National Unity leader has filed an
election petition against Governor, Kiraitu Murungi, arguing that the
Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) should be compelled to
grant access to his legal team before they reconfigure the kits for purposes of
the fresh polls.
Through his lawyer, Martin Gitonga, the former Council
of Governors chairperson says that failure of the IEBC to allow scrutiny
of the election management kits, election materials will be interfered with and
therefore he will not be able to prove cases of illegalities in the August 8
Meru Gubernatorial race.
“IEBC should grant my client access to KIEMS kits before
fresh presidential election and they should be compelled to file affidavits to
inform the court that election materials are still intact and haven’t been
interfered with,” said Gitonga.
The electoral agency, however, through Senior Counsel, Lucy
Kambuni, assured the courts that all election materials, not just in Meru
County, are still intact and un-tampered, insisting that the law dictates the
commission to reserve them for at least three years after poll day.
“The materials have since been transferred to IEBC
headquarters in Nairobi but I will file an affidavit within four days,” said
Kambuni.
Judge Francis Gikonyo ordered the respondents of the
petition, who include the electoral commission and the county returning
officer, to file the said affidavits within four days.
The case will be mentioned again in October 10.
