Lugari Ward MCA Grey Moi (left) and his opponent in the August 9, 2022, general election, William Makhalanya/WKT
Residents of Lugari Ward in Lugari Sub-County, Kakamega County, are eagerly waiting to know if they will go back to the ballot to re-elect their Member of the County Assembly (MCA).
This develops about two months after an appeal was filed to challenge the judgement by Chief Magistrate Dolphina Alego of the Kakamega Law Courts that nullified the victory of Grey Moi Amutete of the United Democratic Party (UDP) as MCA elected in the August 9, 2022, general election through a petition filed by his Movement for Democracy party opponent, William Libombolo Makhalanya.
As it stands now, Grey Moi is the area MCA, although stripped of some privileges, such as a full salary.
The appeal, which was filed by a citizen on January 16, 2023, and later by the IEBC to overturn the Kakamega Law Courts’ decision made on January 10, 2023, is now in its second round before the court makes the final verdict.
The appeal will be determined after the magistrate at the Kakamega High Court goes through all the documents filed and is expected to give a verdict within a period of 30 days.
Lugari Ward residents will now have to wait longer, probably until the end of April, to know if the nullification of Grey Moi’s win stands or if they will go back to the polls.
Mr. Makhalanya, whose lawyers were given 14 days to reply to the appeal, revealed he has incurred extra costs as the process enters the second round this week but is confident of another win.
“I have finished round one; tomorrow (Friday), I am meeting my lawyers; we know how we will handle round two… I am looking forward to another victory,” he said.
Mr. Moi, on his side, declined commenting on the case in court but asserted that his work as Lugari Ward MCA is still continuing.
“I am discharging my duties as required. My people in Lugari should support me because I am the sitting MCA, although there is a case in court,” he said.
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.
