Controversial televangelist David Ngare Kariuki aka Gakuyo has consistently been on the limelight after accusations of siphoning more than Sh1 billion belonging to 78,000 members, mostly peasants, of the troubled Ekeza Sacco.
Mr Kariuki is said to have used the money to upgrade his lifestyle by buying prime properties for his family and boosting his struggling real estate firm.
Gakuyo is now back to making headlines after he on Thursday filed a suit at the High Court in Milimani, Nairobi, challenging Thirdway Alliance’s Punguza Mizigo referendum Bill.
Gakuyo is asking the court to stop the consideration of the Bill by the 47 county assemblies after the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) forwarded it to the devolved legislative assemblies.
He argued that the IEBC failed to authenticate signatures of voters supporting the referendum bid.
IEBC had said 1.2 million registered voters supported the initiative by the Ekuru Aukot-led Thirdway Alliance party.
Gakuyo accused the IEBC of contravening Article 257 of the Constitution by failing to authenticate the signatures of 1,222,541 registered voters who supported the initiative.
His move has since become a subject of discussion on social media as it received mixed reactions.
https://twitter.com/KibetClinton_/status/1154983022900469760?s=20
#GakuyoSuesPunguzaMizigo People cannot just wake up and demand a referendum. We should amend the constitution through consultation pic.twitter.com/gD0smJNgi5
— THOMAS (@MiregwaThomas) July 27, 2019
https://twitter.com/KibetClinton_/status/1154995074771693568?s=20
Let's be honest. Even if we hold 20 referendums nothing will change as long as corruption is not addressed!#GakuyoSuesPunguzaMizigo
— KOT 🇰🇪 (@KOT_Loyals) July 27, 2019
On the other side, his move has unearthed his dark side where the famous ‘man of God’ allegedly siphoned billions of money from his followers with a section of Kenyans went on to question Gakuyo’s integrity to participate in matters of public interest.
unajua ni kubaya when a sacco that looted billions from investors is running to court to stop a referendum that proposes life sentence for the corrupt. #GakuyoSuesPunguzaMizigo is dead on arrival. #PunguzaMizigoBill2019 is the way to go.
— Isaiah (@isaiahmng) July 27, 2019
Wait is Gakuyo the same man who "ate" money for Ekeza Sacco?
God have mercy on us! pic.twitter.com/Z7yrSU4f6R
— Moseax 🇰🇪 (@MoseaxKenya) July 27, 2019
#GakuyoSuesPunguzaMizigo Someone Educate me on this people. Is this the same Gakuyo the profesional cone man?
— kiprotich sawe (@KiprotichSawe) July 27, 2019
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