The Devolution Empowerment Party (DEP) popularly known as Bus Party has called on the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to ensure it conducts free, fair and transparent elections in the upcoming by-elections in Mbeere North Constituency.
The by-elections to be held on February 26 in Muminji and Evurore Wards were necessitated by resignation of MCAs Newton Karish and Duncan Mbui respectively to contest for the parliamentary by-election held in November last year and lost.
The call emanates from the contentious by-election held last year that the opposition has dismissed as “shambolic” as it raised concern over IEBC’s ability to conduct credible elections.
DEP Leader Lenny Kivuti said the mini-poll held last year cast doubt on the electoral body’s independence in managing elections, claiming the by-election was marred by massive cases of rigging, voter bribery and government interference.
“Despite all these allegations, the IEBC went ahead to declare that the by-elections held last year in Mbeere North and other parts of the country were free, fair and transparent,” he stated.
Speaking on Monday at his Kanyuambora Home when he received defectors from other parties who had joined the Bus, Kivuti mounted pressure on IEBC to carry out stricter exercise to avoid a repeat of the irregularities of last year’s polls.
He exuded confidence that the Bus party will recapture the Muminji seat previously held by Karish through its candidate Boniface Kariuki who will be facing off with United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate Peterson Njeru alongside others.
In the neighbouring Evurore Ward, the opposition has fielded former MCA Albert Kigoro on a Democratic Party (DP) ticket who will square it out with, among others, UDA’s Duncan Muratia.
The political landscape has been intense for the last few weeks as the opposition makes efforts to recover from the loss of the parliamentary seat in the upcoming ward b-elections.
By Samuel Waititu
