Governor Cornel Rasanga loses his seat
The Siaya
county Governor, Hon Cornel Rasanga has lost his seat in a court petition.Hon.
Rasanga however gets down into the history books as the first Siaya County
Governor and the first Governor to loose his seat in a court petition.
High
Court Judge Justice Aggrey Muchelule, nullified the March 4 election results
for Siaya gubernatorial seat stating that it was characterized by massive
irregularities and therefore Rasanga was not validly elected. He therefore gave
a ruling and directed for a by-election.
In his
ruling, Muchelule said the petitioner, William Oduol of the National Alliance
Party of Kenya’s candidate had convinced the court that the election was
not free and fair. The court directed Hon Rasanga and the Independent Electoral
and Boundaries Commission to meet the costs of the suit amounting to Sh3million,
and which should be divided equally among them.
The court
relied in the recount of votes in Gem, Bondo and Rarieda constituencies, and
Nyasanda and Awelo Primary schools in making its verdict. He said the ballot
boxes were tampered with before the recount was ordered and that the IEBC that was
mandated to safeguard the votes having been the custodians, did not do so. He also
noted that seals were missing or replaced from the ballot boxes,
Oduol
however said the court ruling was in the interest of Siaya people, and that it
was now a proof that the era of impunity and dictatorship is long gone.