We are Ready! List of candidates cleared to battle out Wajir West by-election

Early last year, trial judge Francis Tuiyot nullified Kolosh’s election on grounds that Abdirahiman Mohamed, the petitioner, had proved that results in two polling stations – Qara and Korich – were manipulated in favour of Kolosh. In the two polling stations, those who cast their votes exceeded the number of registered voters, Tuiyot found. Kolosh had beaten petitioner Abdirahman Mohamed of Kanu by 477 votes.

Witnesses told the court that the final result announced at Qara showed that Kolosh got 319 votes while Ibrahim had two. But when the returning officer announced the results at the constituency tallying centre at Griftu Pastoralist Training Centre, the MP’s votes had been inflated to 540.

Kolosh moved to the Court of Appeal, which overturned Tuiyott’s decision and ruled that he was validly elected as MP for Wajir West. IEBC has cleared five candidates to contest in the Wajir West constituency by-election on April 25. The candidates include Ali Noor Abdi (LPK), Ibrahim Mohamud (KANU), Mohamed Yussuf (ODM), Ahmed Kolosh (Jubilee) and Abbas Nunow (AGANO).

The seat fell vacant after the Supreme Court nullified the election of Mohamed Kolosh in January. Chairman Wafula Chebukati in a gazette notice on January 4 told Political Parties intending to participate must submit the names of their candidates and the date of the party primaries on or before February, 11. Chebukati further said a public officer who intends to contest must resign from public office within seven (7) days of the declaration of the vacancy which in this case was February, 1.

The chairman said candidates intending to participate in the by-elections as independent candidates should not have been members of any political party at least three (3) months immediately before the date of the by-election.