Munya seeks access to KIEMS kits before fresh presidential poll

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.