Stop harassing Moses Wetangula, legislator tells Jubilee

Hundreds of Senator Moses Wetangula supporters went to streets of Chwele on Friday to protest against plans to de-register him over alleged voter bribery in the 2013 elections.

Led by Bungoma County Assembly Majority Leader Majimbo Okumu, the residents asked Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) not to strike the name of the Ford Kenya party leader off the voters’ roll as this would effectively lead to his removal from Parliament.

They accused the government for frustrating Wetangula as he is the only Luhya politician capable of contesting for the 2017 General Elections.

Blaming the government of intimidating people of the western Kenya region, Wetangula’s supporters further said that they are determined to ensure that he retains the Senatorial seat.

Last week, Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) leader Raila Odinga faulted the Jubilee government for being behind the move to kick out Wetangula. Raila alleged that this was a strategy aimed at weakening the opposition.

The gazetting of voter bribery findings by Senate Speaker Ekwe Ethuro puts Wetangula’s political future in a precarious situation as it could lock him out of future elections.

Okumu called on all political leaders in the region to make their stand on the issue known, and he singled out Bungoma Governor Kenneth Lusaka. Okumu went on to allege that Lusaka was being used by Jubilee to ouster Wetangula.

The leaders have planned a series of rallies in the region in support the embattled Senator.

This comes even after Wetangula appeared before IEBC to defend his seat and the possible removal of his name from the voter register. The electoral body is duty bound to give Senator Moses Wetangula a hearing in accordance with the constitution and the rules of natural justice.

Wetangula clinched the Bungoma Senatorial seat after a by-election. CORD has used the by-election win to argue that since IEBC cleared him to run for a second time, the voter bribery claims hold no water.

However, this did not shift IEBC’s decision to use the new evidence and the verdict given by the Supreme Court.