Gachagua, Sonko, Waiguru, Babu Owino Among 26 Red-Carded Aspirants

The National Integrity Alliance (NIA) has published the Red Card 2022 list ahead of the August 9th elections.

The list comprising 25 political aspirants was released on Sunday as part of this year’s NIA Red Card Campaign whose aim is to have individuals with tainted integrity barred from contesting for public office in the forthcoming elections.

UDA presidential candidate William Ruto’s running mate Rigathi Gachagua, Kiringaga Governor Ann Waiguru, Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa, former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko, Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero, and Kapsaret MP Oscar Sudi are some of the notable politicians who have been red-carded.

NIA has urged the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) not clear those named in the list as they are in breach of the leadership and integrity tenets as enshrined in Chapter 6 of the Constitution of Kenya 2010.

The alliance noted that the 26 aspirants have been named adversely by statutory agencies or prosecuted for corruption, economic crimes, abuse of office, or other criminal offenses.

“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. Worse, the country is losing a third of its budget annually to corruption and caving under a high level of public debt,” the alliance said.

NIA is a citizen-centered integrity and anti-corruption coalition comprising Transparency International Kenya (TI-Kenya), Inuka Kenya Ni Sisi, Mzalendo Trust, The Institute for Social Accountability (TISA), and The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC).

The alliance said the Red Card 2022 list was generated from authentic and trusted investigative reports. 

Below is the complete list of the leaders NIA has red-carded:

1.    Aisha Jumwa – Malindi gubernatorial aspirant

2.    Ali Korane – Garissa gubernatorial aspirant

3.    Anne Waiguru – Kirinyaga gubernatorial aspirant

4.    Babu Owino – Embakasi East MP aspirant

5.    Cleophas Malala – Kakamega gubernatorial aspirant

6.    Daniel Manduku – Nyaribari Masaba MP aspirant

7.    Didmus Barasa – Kimilili MP aspirant

8.    Evans Kidero – Homa Bay gubernatorial aspirant

9.    Fahim Twaha – Lamu gubernatorial aspirant

10.    Godhana Dhadho Gaddae – Tana River gubernatorial aspirant

11.    Johanna Ng’eno – Emurrua Dikir MP aspirant

12.    John Walukhe – Sirisia MP aspirant

13.    Joseph Samal – Isiolo North MP aspirant

14.    Kembi Gitura- Muranga senatorial aspirant

15.    Lilian Omollo – Embu senatorial aspirant

16.    Mathew Lempurkel – Laikipia North MP aspirant

17.    Mike Mbuvi Sonko – Mombasa gubernatorial aspirant

18.    Mohamed Abdi Mohamud – Wajir gubernatorial aspirant

19.    Muthomi Njuki – Tharaka Nithi gubernatorial aspirant

20.    Oscar Sudi – Kapseret MP aspirant

21.    Phillip Kaloki – Nairobi county deputy gubernatorial aspirant

22.    Rigathi Gachagua – Deputy President nominee

23.    Samson Cherargei – Nandi senatorial aspirant

24.    Samuel Arama – Nakuru Town West MP aspirant

25.    Sospeter Ojaamong’ – Teso South MP aspirant