Rigathi, Waiguru, Babu Owino among 25 leaders ‘red-carded’ over integrity issues
Twenty-five politicians have been ‘red-carded’ by the National Integrity Alliance (NIA) in a renewed campaign which tries to prevent people with “questionable” integrity from running for public office in the August polls.
According to NIA officials, they have been closely monitoring critical events in the implementation of Chapter 6 of the Constitution, which deals with leadership and integrity as part of this year’s NIA Red Card Campaign.
Those who have been flagged are Kenya Kwanza Alliance presidential running mate Rigathi Gachagua, Mombasa gubernatorial aspirant Mike Sonko, governor Ann Waiguru, Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa, Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, former Nairobi MP Evans Kidero and Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi.
“With the 9th August 2022 general elections drawing closer, we note that various political formations have nominated candidates to vie for elective seats, and various individuals have also presented themselves to contest as independent candidates. Regrettably a number of these political aspirants have tainted integrity,” NIA said in a joint statement.
NIA noted that the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) should not approve Rigathi to run for deputy president since he is involved in graft, which led to the Assets and Recovery Authority blocking accounts with around Sh200 million in unaccounted for assets.
They cited Gachagua’s charges of conspiring to defraud the Nyeri County Government and fraudulently acquiring public property.
Sonko, on the other hand, was red-carded following his impeachment as Nairobi governor in December 2020, as well as admitting to being inebriated when signing the deed of transfer for Nairobi Metropolitan Services.
Other leaders who NIA has red-carded are; Ali Korane (Garissa gubernatorial aspirant), Cleophas Malala (Kakamega gubernatorial aspirant), Daniel Manduku (Nyaribari Masaba MP aspirant), Didmus Barasa (Kimilili MP aspirant), Evans Kidero (Homa Bay gubernatorial aspirant), Fahim Twaha (Lamu gubernatorial aspirant), Godhana Dhadho Gaddae (Tana River gubernatorial aspirant), Johanna Ng’eno (Emurrua Dikir MP aspirant), John Walukhe (Sirisia MP aspirant), Joseph Samal (Isiolo North MP aspirant), Kembi Gitura (Muranga senatorial aspirant), Lilian Omollo (Embu senatorial aspirant), Mathew Lempurkel (Laikipia North MP aspirant), Mohamed Abdi Mohamud (Wajir gubernatorial aspirant), Muthomi Njuki (Tharaka Nithi gubernatorial aspirant), Phillip Kaloki (Nairobi county deputy gubernatorial aspirant), Samson Cherargei (Nandi senatorial aspirant), Samuel Arama (Nakuru Town West MP aspirant) and Sospeter Ojaamong’ (Teso South MP aspirant).
NIA said that people who were red carded had been named by statutory agencies and prosecuted for corruption, economic crimes, misuse of office, and other criminal offenses.
“It includes information gathered from existing reports by oversight institutions including, the Office of the Auditor General (OAG), the Ethics & Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC), Parliament and various cases before the courts both concluded and active,” NIA said.
Additionally, they said that the process included a “credible civil society and faith-based organizations scrutinizing and validating the list,” as well as the people’s vetting commission.
They urged electoral vetting authorities to carry out their job and prevent all corrupt and unethical candidates from running for office.
