Martha Karua's Case against Election of Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru Takes a Fresh Twist

Narc-Kenya leader Martha Karua's case against the election of Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru has taken a fresh twist after the Appeals Court issued new orders. In a ruling on Friday, the Appeal Court in Nairobi directed that the petition against Waiguru's victory as the Governor of Kirinyaga be heard afresh.

In the ruling, Appellate judges Mohammed Warsame, Daniel Musinga and William Ouko faulted the decision by the High Court to uphold Waiguru’s election, noting that Karua was not accorded justice and that the petition was struck out without a fair hearing.

The second highest court in the land further set aside the Sh10 million costs slapped on Karua and decried the emerging practice of punitive costs on losing petitioners.

The ruling comes after Karua moved to the Appellate court to challenge the High Court decision that upheld Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru’s win.

Through lawyer Gitobu Imanyara, Karua had based his petition on the Supreme Court's ruling that nullified the August 8th,2017 presidential election, arguing that all the other elections were also not valid. She filed the appeal after Kerugoya High Court judge Justice Lucy Gitari dismissed her petition terming it as “defective and incurable.”

Governor Waiguru has indicated she will contest the Court of Appeal's decision at the Supreme Court.