Murang’a gubernatorial aspirant Irungu Kang’ata has ditched his designated running mate Winfred Mwangi in favor of 29-year-old Stephen Mburu Munania in the last-minute rush to fulfill the clearance deadline.
This comes after Mwangi, the University of Nairobi’s don, refused to quit by the February 9 deadline, prompting the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to deny Kang’ata permission on Sunday.
Kang’ata and Mwangi yesterday declared that the problem surrounding his resignation had been sorted and that he had been cleared to run for the gubernatorial bid under UDA Party.
“Considering this might have been a trap for prolonged litigation that detracts from campaigning, we mutually agreed to replace DG. UDA Murang’a Deputy Governor designate now is Stephen Mburu Munania,” Kang’ata said.
“UDA picked him to represent the marginalized youth and bring public administration experience into county management,” he added.
Kang’ata was cleared alongside his running mate Winnie Mwangi. Murang’a County Returning Officer Saumu Chirchir dismissed the allegations that Mwangi was yet to resign from her previous job as per the timelines set.
Mwangi has been a lecturer at the University of Nairobi for the last 25 years.
The constitution requires public servants eyeing political seats in the 2022 General Election to have resigned and make public their bids by February 5.
Kangata appeared before the County Returning Officer in Murang’a to present his papers. However, he was briefed that an anonymous voter had informed the IEBC that his running mate had not resigned from her previous job in time.
He added that “Mwangi will remain part and parcel of UDA Murang’a Chapter.”
“She will continue to offer her services as an expert in land matters. She will head our UDA campaigns.”