The United Democratic Alliance’s Siaya gubernatorial candidate had her nomination certificate cancelled by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission after it emerged that her running mate was still a serving public officer.
Millicent Adhiambo Oduor, who had earlier been cleared to contest, was recalled to the Siaya IEBC offices to surrender the certificate by the Returning Officer, Catherine Bulinda Wandabwa.
Wandabwa said that due diligence conducted by her officers revealed that the candidate’s running mate Rose Goretty Atieno was still an employee of the Teachers Service Commission.
The Returning Officer said that Atieno was also among the 241 individuals whose names had been flagged and forwarded to IEBC by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission over integrity issues.
“She had, earlier on, told us that she had resigned from public office but upon verification, we found that she lied to us,” said Wandabwa.
The Returning Officer said that they had cancelled the UDA candidate’s name from the system but added that the candidate was free to petition the IEBC’s tribunal in Nairobi.
The cancellation of the UDA candidate’s certificate now leaves the race to former Rarieda legislator Nicholas Gumbo who will be vying on a United Democratic Movement party and Siaya Senator James Orengo who was nominated by the Orange Democratic movement.
Gumbo, who presented his papers Saturday called on Siaya residents to elect leaders with a development record and guard against falling prey to calls for six- piece voting pattern being advocated by local ODM officials.
