Former football Star Mcdonald Mariga’s desire to lead the people of Kibera as their Member of Parliament came to a dead end on Tuesday after Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) nullified his candidature.
This is after the IEBC found the Jubilee candidate was missing on the voter’s registrar hence rendering ineligible to contest for any political seat.
Mariga was earlier in the day issued with a Jubilee Nomination Certificate before heading to the IEBC for clearance.
Even before he was given the go-ahead to contest for the seat, the former football star had already kicked off his campaign in Kibra.
The nullification of his candidature has sparked massive reactions from Kenyans on social media.
A section of online users mocked the Jubilee Party for promising to trounce their arch-rivals ODM Party yet their flag bearer was not a registered voter.
Opesh Kevin trolled Mariga saying: “A dumb person is just a dumb person. How do you get into politics na hujui kama you are a registered voter or not.”
Lee Makwiny compared the Mariga’s case to that of Kethi Kalonzo who was barred from taking over from his Father Mutula Kilonzo after she was discovered to be an unregistered voter.
Lee said: “If Mcdonald Mariga is registered, then show us his name in the register and explain to us how his case is special than that of Kethi Kilonzo.”
To Benedict Owuor, Mariga’s case was prophesied since ” the football star has never voted in this country. He tried to register two weeks before his candidature.”
For Karani Onsomu, Mariga has committed an offence and should face charges.
He said: “…the state should lodge forgery charges against Mariga same way they did against Kethi Kilonzo.
To Felix Njika, the condition set by IEBC for political aspirants is clear and added that it defeats logic that Jubilee Party ignored to consider the requirement.
He said: “before one vies for any political post in Kenya, you must have two Mandatory Documents: Kenyan ID & Voters Card… TangaTanga Party thought Mariga can vie with Betin Card? They thought Kibra was a Casino? And the noise they had given us. Hubris isn’t equal to intelligence.”
I hear that conman Mariga has been disqualified from the Kibra race. Now that Ruto wanted a celeb to test waters, si basi achukue Ringtone ama Willy Poze amsimamishe kama Jubilee candidate?!
— Dennoh (@DennohtheDj) September 10, 2019
How times does @KBonimtetezi have to be wrong for him to realize that he is probably the problem? This is very funny. Bet ya mariga IMEUMA NJE https://t.co/HtpOBCnxXE
— Antony Wanjala (@waswa9ice) September 10, 2019
I hope IEBC is serious about this and will not force Kibra residents to vote for non-residents like #Mariga. Mariga just come home, build stadia then vie in Busia. Huko ni porojo. All the best Ruto. Hii vita ni kutoka kila upande. U will kif up
— Duke of Kakamega (@OneBusolo) September 10, 2019