Navakholo Member of Parliament Emmanuel Wangwe has lost his bid to terminate midstream a petition challenging his election in the August 8th polls. In a ruling delivered this morning by the court, Judge Jesse Njagi threw out the MP’s initial challenge to the petition declaring that the court has the discretion to extend the period for the petitioner to pay court security for the petition.
The Judge ordered that the petition moves to full trial and fixed the hearing for November 20th. Wangwe’s main rival Joseph Omukanda is seeking to annul the August parliamentary poll on account of irregularities, bribery and use of un gazetted polling stations.
The petition faced initial hurdle after the MP filed an application to knock it out arguing failure by the petitioner to pay the mandatory court security of Sh.500,000 within the stipulated ten-day period rendered the suit invalid.
Court records indicated that Omukanda paid the security through a cheque that was dishonoured, but when notified by the Court, he raised the required amount and penalty in cash and paid up.
In his ruling, Judge Jesse noted that though the cheque was not honoured, it would be imprudent to dismiss the petition after the petitioner paid up for the petition in cash.