Five want IEBC to bar Ken Lusaka from poll

Bungoma Governor Ken Lusaka. (Photo: Chrispen Sechere/Standard)

Petitioners who wanted the Senate to impeach Bungoma Governor Ken Lusaka over alleged corruption now want the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to bar him from contesting in the August polls.

Citizens for Good Governance Secretary General Philip Wekesa, one of the petitioners, said Mr Lusaka should be barred from seeking re-election until he is cleared by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission over a wheelbarrows scandal.

But Mr Lusaka described as baseless claims that he was unfit to run for office. He explained that the wheelbarrows scandal case was in court and eight county officials implicated had been charged.

Senate committee

Mr Wekesa said Senate's Committee on Finance, Commerce and Budget chaired by Mandera Senator Billow Kerrow had since recommended the prosecution of Lusaka and senior county officials for contravening Chapter Six of the Constitution.

“The Senate report clearly indicated that he has overseen corruption in his administration, flouted the Public Procurement and Disposal Act and the Public Finance Management Act, and the IEBC must adopt the Senate report and bar him from contesting in the August polls,” said Wekesa.

Speaking in Kakamega Thursday, he said they would ensure that the Senate report was fully implemented.

Albert Wamalwa, another petitioner, said if IEBC ignored their plea, they would go to court to have the report adopted. Other petitioners are John Mukenya, Jacinta Machasio and John Khaoya.

The governor said the petitioners were being used by his enemies to scuttle his re-election bid.