Kiambu County United Democratic Alliance (UDA) senatorial aspirant Karungo Thang'wa can breathe a sigh of relief after the High Court ordered IEBC to clear him to contest in the August polls.
In a ruling on Thursday, July 7, Justice Rachel Ng'etich overruled the IEBC tribunal’s resolution to bar Karungo from vying on the basis of being impeached from office due to graft allegations.
According to the judge, there was no sufficient evidence linking the UDA aspirant with graft allegations that led to his ouster.
"This court finds no reason to bar Karungo from vying for the Kiambu senator position," Justice Ng’etich stated.
She directed IEBC to have Karungo’s name on the ballot and further ordered the Kiambu Returning officer to issue him with a clearance certificate.
Read More
The IEBC Disputes Tribunal had on Sunday, June 19, upheld the decision by the IEBC that Karungo had been impeached from office and hence unable to run for office.
"Our analysis of the fact and law as presented leads us to the conclusion that the respondent (IEBC) acted within the law to decline the complainant (Karungo) on the account of him having been removed from public office and presenting himself for nomination outside the gazetted terms.
"In light of the foregoing, the committee upholds the decision of the returning officer in declining to nominate the complainant and the complaint is hereby dismissed with no order to cost," the tribunal ruled.
However, Karungo protested the move by the IEBC tribunal saying that the ruling was dishonest.
