On May 30, 2022, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) cleared several candidates to contest for the Machakos Senatorial seat in the upcoming August polls.
The candidates, who presented themselves to the IEBC County headquarters, met the requirements needed to compete in the elections.
Among the cleared candidates are incumbent Machakos Senator Agnes Kavindu (Wiper Party), former County Speaker Bernard Mung'ata (Maendeleo Chap Chap), and John Mutua Katuku of the People's Trust Party.
However, the clearance certificates did not mark the beginning of a peaceful campaign. Agnes Kavindu immediately threw the first salvo by accusing Mung'ata of not delivering during his tenure as the first Speaker of the Machakos County.
She questioned his ability to initiate a process of clearing all pending bills, suggesting that he was not fit to be elected as the Machakos Senator.
Responding to Kavindu's allegations, Mung'ata dismissed her as incompetent, stating that she had never visited the County Assembly to acquaint herself with the budget-making process before criticizing the county government.
"This County does not require an incompetent person for a Senator. Kavindu should first have visited the County Assembly to acquaint herself with the budget-making process before coming to criticize a governor at the end of a financial year on the use of a budget which she did not participate in making," said Mr. Mung'ata.
Despite the exchange of accusations, Kavindu maintained that it was not a must for a Senator to be a lawyer, adding that what was important was the ability to interpret the Constitution.
She stated that she was able to deliver and had succeeded in keeping the county government in check during her tenure as Senator.
