William Makhalanya with supporters during a public function in the past/Courtesy
Recently, Movement for Democracy party candidate, William Makhalanya, set tongues wagging in Lugari Ward after his petition against the election of United Democratic Party’s Grey Moi as Member of the County Assembly (MCA) sailed through.
The Kakamega Law Courts on January 10, 2023, declared that the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) failed to comply with the law in the election that Moi emerged winner.
The court, as a result, ordered a repeat election within 60 days, giving Makhalanya and other candidates another chance to clinch the seat.
To Makhalanya, the election petition process was no doubt a costly affair to him. He revealed that he spent more that Sh1 million, all that came from his pocket, and denied any assistance by a “big fish” as claimed by Mr. Moi.
Makhalanya said that he paid his two lawyers Sh350,000, apart from catering for their expenses for the five months the case was in court.
He said that he had to pay Sh115,000 as court fee before the case could be filed, apart from the money he used to publish an advert on a local daily summoning Mr. Grey Moi after his failure to file a response in court, among other expenses.
Sam Oduor is the editor-in-chief at the Western Kenya Times who leverages the power of the Internet in telling stories that shape opinions.
