KENYA: Court upholds election of House Majority leader Aden Duale

A high court in Nairobi has upheld the election of House Majority leader Aden Duale as Garissa Township constituency throwing out a petition by former deputy House speaker Farah Maalim.

The Court held that claims of bribery raised by the petitioner were not substantive to warrant a nullification of Duale’s election.

In his judgment, judge Ong’udi said Mr Duale was validly elected and claims by Mr Maalim that some voters were denied a chance to cast their votes were not true.

Garissa Township is the constituency in northern part of Kenya with the largest number of registered voters, at 54,000.

Mr Maalim challenged Mr Duale’s win, stating that there were massive irregularities in the outcome.

He has also claimed that voters were bribed although he could not state where it occurred and when. “I didn’t see the bribery literary or anyone being bribed but I saw a crowd negotiating,” he had told the court during the hearing of the case.

Duale hailed the ruling noting it reflected the will of the people Garissa.

“It is a good day for the people of Garissa and I want to thank all the people who prayed for us. It has been proven beyond reasonable doubt that the will of the Garissa has been upheld by the court,” Duale said outside the court room.
According to polls body IEBC results, Duale garnered 22,587 votes against Maalim’s 14,897 votes.

In dismissing the petition, judge Ong’udi compelled Maalim to meet the Ksh 6 million ($60,000) costs bill for the petition.

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