On May 28, 2022, Nyandarua Governor Francis Kimemia announced a change in his running mate, citing concerns over eligibility. He has chosen Isaac Maina Gitura to replace Joseph Mungai Mbugua, the Regional Director of the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KERRA).
According to a statement seen by Kenyans.co.ke, Kimemia explained that upon consultation with his legal team, he realized that Mbugua may not have been eligible for nomination as a running mate. This is because Mbugua had not resigned from office six months prior to the election as demanded by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
Kimemia noted that he was aware of a petition filed to challenge the IEBC directive in court, but he wanted to play safe and avoid any potential issues. He added that the name of his new running mate had already been submitted to IEBC by the Jubilee Party.
Notably, Mbugua was promised a lucrative county job should Kimemia reclaim his seat in the upcoming August 9 General Elections. However, the legality of the change remains in question, as Section 18 of the Elections Act (2011) only allows a gubernatorial candidate to change a deputy governor nominee after submission of the name to IEBC.
Kimemia becomes the second gubernatorial aspirant to change his running mate. Rarieda MP Nicholas Gumbo had previously replaced his running mate, Charles Owino, who has since announced his exit from the ODM Party to rejoin the National Police Service.
