Machakos gubernatorial candidate on a Wiper Democratic Movement party ticket Wavinya Ndeti has once again survived an onslaught to lock her out of the race. The former Kathiani MP can now breathe easy after the Appellate Court sitting in Nairobi rubbished an appeal challenging High Court decision that allowed Wavinya to contest for the seat.
A three-judge bench comprised of Judges Erastus Githinji, Hannah Okwengu and Jamilla Mohamed on Friday upheld the High Court ruling that quashed the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) decision to bar her from contesting.
The IEBC has locked the former Chama Cha Uzalendo party leader out of the race after establishing that she was a member of two parties concurrently, Wiper Democratic Movement and Chama Cha Uzalendo (CCU).
Ndeti was accused of ditching her CCU party for Kalonzo Musyoka-led Wiper on April 6, 2017, a day after the party-hopping window elapsed. The High Court had ruled that no party hopping should be allowed after April 5, 2017.
Ndeti in a case filed at the High Court argued that she adhered to party hopping rules and that barring her from contesting for the Machakos Governor seat would infringed on her right to contest for a political seat, and that it would deny the people of Machakos an opportunity to elect a leader of their choice.
Ndeti will now lock horns with incumbent Governor Dr. Alfred Mutua of Maendeleo Chap Chap Party.
