This archive report was first published on 16 September 2019.
Published on September 16, 2019
Retired footballer McDonald Mariga's fate in the Kibra parliamentary by-election hangs in the balance as the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Dispute Resolution Committee prepares to render its ruling on Monday.
The committee, chaired by Chairperson Wafula Chebukati, heard presentations from Mariga, Kibra constituency Returning Officer Beatrice Muli, and two other interested parties on Friday morning.
At the centre of the dispute is the voter registration status of the Jubilee Party candidate, with Chebukati and his team seeking clarification on whether the register used to determine Mariga's registration status was updated at the time National Assembly Speaker declared the Kibra seat vacant following the death of MP Ken Okoth.
Should Mariga be cleared, he will face off against ODM's Imran Okoth, brother to the late Ken, and Aman National Congress' Eliud Owalo, the former presidential campaign manager for ODM leader Raila Odinga, in the November 7 mini poll.
A total of 26 candidates have been cleared for the race.
