Lang’ata Member of Parliament Nixon Korir and Former Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale were among the notable figures that accompanied the cornered Jubilee Party Candidate McDonald Mariga to IEBC.
The Jubliee Party leaders went to seek the electoral body’s nod for their candidate.
However, the former football Star ambition to lead the people of Kibera came to a dead end on after IEBC nullified his candidature.
This is after the Jubilee candidate’s details was found missing on the voter’s registrar hence rendering ineligible to contest for any political seat.
Speaking after the disqualification the Jubilee candidate Korir and Khalwale insisted that Mariga was a registered voter.
However questions from a journalist on the validity of their claims seemed to have caught the two leaders off guard, that is if their response is anything to go by.
Here is a breakdown of the interview:
Journalist: When did Mariga register to be a voter?
Nixon Korir: That is neither here nor there. I don’t have an exact date. Could have been earlier this year. ….Administrative in-competencies of the IEBC should not bar Mariga from running for office
Bonny Khlawale: That’s enough! (and then ends the press conference, they all walk away)
The embattled football star claimed to have had an acknowledgement slip indicating that he was a registered voter.
However, the IEBC argued that the voter register currently used in the by-election is that which was considered during the 2017 Genera Elections.
Mariga was handed 7 days to appeal the decision and the party, according to Khalwale, will exploit the period as they go on with their campaigns.
According to the IEBC, 30 aspirants registered to vie for Kibra by election.
23 candidates have been cleared by the commission; 16 are political party candidates while 7 are independent candidates. 7 aspirants were either disqualified or did not appear for clearance.
The by-election is set for November 7.