Murang’a Woman Representative Sabina Chege Tuesday skipped a grilling session by the electoral commission over her vote rigging claims.
The MP’s lawyer said she had been admitted in hospital and also wanted to pursue a case that will determine whether the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) had powers to summon her over the utterances.
Ms Chege was to answer to charges of violating the electoral conduct code over utterances she made during a political rally in Vihiga County on February 10, 2022.
A letter by Ms Chege’s counsel presented to the IEBC says she is admitted to Nairobi Hospital from February 16.
The lawyer asked the IEBC Code of Conduct Enforcement Committee to reschedule their meeting to a date after Ms Chege is discharged.
The Chebukati-led commission last week defended its decision to summon Ms Chege saying all persons bound by the Code of Conduct should re-assure voters of impartiality of the commission and secrecy of the ballot.
“In terms of the provision of Article 252 of the Constitution, the commission may undertake investigations on its motion. In the matter before the committee, the commission’s attention was drawn by a media report and material bearing the utterances made by Sabina Chege,” Mr Chebukati said.
Senior Counsels James Orengo and Otiende Amollo, who represented Ms Chege in last week’s meeting, argued that the breach set out in the statement did not meet the constitutional matters and it was not clear what the charges were.
“The only thing is to withdraw from this matter and this will not be the end of investigation. The breach has set out in the statement don’t meet the constitutional matters. The words in the breach cannot be substance to enter into inquiry. Commission don’t have jurisdiction on this matter,” Mr Orengo said.
Ms Chege hit the headlines early this month over her remarks that suggested that the Jubilee party could have rigged the 2017 polls.
“Nimesikia wengine wakisema hapa tuliwaibia. Kuna kaukweli kidogo (I’ve heard others say we stole [votes]. There is an iota of truth). And if we did that in 2017, we can do that for Baba [Raila],” said the Murang’a MP.
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