Rigathi, Babu Owino Among 25 Politicians On List of Leaders Unfit to Hold Office

A lobby group has listed 25 politicians who it believes should be prevented from holding elective office after August 9.

The National Integrity Alliance has disqualified the candidates because they are facing corruption and other criminal charges in court.

Rigathi Gachagua, Mathira MP and Kenya Kwanza Alliance presidential running mate, is one among the listed politicians.

“According to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), he is implicated in graft resulting in action by the Assets and Recovery Authority freezing accounts with approximately Sh200 million in unexplained assets,” said the group.

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Gachagua has been charged with defrauding Nyeri County and acquiring public property fraudulently.

Aisha Jumwa, the Malindi MP who is seeking to succeed Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi, was also among the listed.

The alliance’s plea to have her barred was based on her murder charge.

Jumwa was linked to the murder of Gumbao Jola during the campaign for the Ganda Ward by-election in Malindi County in 2019.

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“A statement by the ODPP on August 27, 2020, also said she was charged with fraudulent misappropriation of Sh57 million from NGCDF Malindi Constituency but the matter was suspended to allow her to campaign,” the Alliance added.

Former KEMSA chair Kembi Gitura, who is running for Murang’a Senator, has been disqualified over the agency’s infamous Covid-19 funding scam.

Gitura was the chair when the government agency lost over Sh79 billion of taxpayers money.

“The National Assembly recommended that EACC investigates into his alleged interference on the award of commitment letters to certain companies,” they said.

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The individuals have been Red Carded, according to the Alliance, following an objective and unbiased investigation.

“It includes information gathered from existing reports by oversight institutions including, the Office of the Auditor General (OAG), Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC), Parliament, various cases before the courts both concluded and active,” they added.

The Alliance also red-carded over 20 applicants in 2017, with some of them reappearing on the 2022 list.

Governor Ann Waiguru of Kirinyaga, who is seeking re-election, was named on the list for the second time.

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She reportedly engaged in acts of abuse of power and embezzlement of public funds totaling Sh10,634,614 by paying travel allowances for non-existent visits.

“Waiguru was impeached by the county assembly of Kirinyaga but her impeachment was nullified by Senate. However, the Senate report implicated her in several offences,” they said.

Former Nairobi governors Evans Kidero and Mike Sonko made the list for the second time, the latter having been impeached and the former facing graft allegations.

“Kapseret Member of Parliament aspirant Oscar Sudi has appeared on the list for a second time for Forgery of official documents and intentionally providing false information,” explained the lobby group.

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According to the Alliance, Kenyans are at risk of voting to public office persons who violate the leadership and integrity principles outlined in Chapter 6 of Kenya’s 2010 Constitution.

“The cost of electing such leaders is borne by citizens through broken promises to provide effective public services like witnessed recently when we experienced a surge in the cost of living due to rising food and fuel prices in the country,” they said.

They said they will launch an online petition on change.org starting next week, asking the public to sign the petition, which they will deliver to the Independent and Electoral Boundaries Commission and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission together with the list of Red Carded persons.

“In case these corrupt and unethical political aspirants sieve through the vetting institutions, we call on voters to reject them at the ballot,” they said.

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Also making the list are; Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, Ali Korane, Cleophas Malala, Daniel Manduku, Didmus Barasa, Fahim Twaha and Godhana Dhadho Gaddae, Tana River gubernatorial aspirant.

Also on the list are: Johanna Ng’eno, John Walukhe, Joseph Samal, Lilian Omollo, Mathew Lempurkel, Mohamed Abdi Mohamud, Muthomi Njuki, Phillip Kaloki, Samson Cherargei, Samuel Arama and Sospeter Ojaamong’.