Mariga fights back after disqualification from Kibra by-election

Football star Macdonald Mariga has filed an appeal challenging the decision by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to invalidate his candidature for the Kibra parliamentary seat in the upcoming by-election.

IEBC on Tuesday struck out Mariga’s name from the list of candidates set to contest in the Kibra mini polls on grounds that he was not a registered voter as required of aspirants seeking electoral positions.

However, in his appeal filed before the IEBC Dispute Resolution Committee, Mariga insists that he is a registered voter, adding that his disqualification was “improper, null and void.”

“I registered as a voter on August 26, 2019 at Kariokor Social Hall POlling Station in Starehe Constituency and I was issued with an acknowledgement…,” says Mariga in an affidavit.

He wants the Dispute Resolution Committee to invalidate his disqualification from the Kibra by-election.

“…the complainant prays that it be determined that the decision by the Returning Officer Ms. Beatrice Muli was void and has no legal effect,” reads the court documents.

He also wants the committee to declare that he was validly nominated by the Jubilee Party and his nomination affirmed by issuance of a certificate on nomination by IEBC.

IEBC says it has cleared 23 candidates to vie in the Kibra Constituency by-election slated for November 7.

According to the electoral commission, 16 candidates will vie under various political parties while 7 will contest as independent candidates.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, IEBC said 30 candidates had registered to contest for the seat but 7 aspirants were either disqualified or did not appear for clearance.