Former Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale is under fire for claiming that Jubilee party candidate for Kibra by-election has been unfairly locked out of the race.
Mariga, a former football star was disqualified by the Independence Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) on Tuesday after his name was found missing from the voter register.
Trying to fight back, the ex Inter Milan star asked the commission to declare the returning officer Beatrice Muli’s decision illegal.
Read: Footballer Mariga Picked As Jubilee Party Candidate For Kibra MP Seat
He further noted that he was indeed a registered voter in Kariokor, Starehe constituency. He applied for registration on August 26, two weeks after the Kibra seat was declared vacant by Speaker of the National Assembly Justin Muturi.
In a tweet, Khalwale an ally of Deputy President William Ruto said that Oburu Odinga, ODM leader Raila Odinga’s brother and Kennedy Kalonzo, the son of Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka were handed EALA seats while Mariga, son of a “hustler” is being denied the opportunity to run for office.
“I come from a most unequal country where Kennedy Kalonzo (@skmusyoka‘s son) & Oburu Odinga (@RailaOdinga‘s brother) are gifted free parliamentary seats in EALA but Mariga (a hustler’s son) is being denied a chance to COMPETE for a seat in Kibra! The Hustler Nation will speak…” he wrote.
The tweet has elicited reactions on the micro-blogging site.
Here are the comments:
This hustler narrative is way past its sell-by date! But please distract from the fact that Mariga wasn't registered until way after the deadline on August 26, 2019! Are we supposed to 'gift' a man who has not shown post-secondary qualifications with an office eti ni hustler?
— Hic sunt dracones (@EMungau) September 11, 2019
I really feel ur pain, imagine June Ruto, DP Ruto's daughter in her early 20s is a Polish Charge D’Affaires, where she heads Kenya's embassy in the absence of an ambassador. While Dr khalwale being a medical doc and serious leader is her dad's blogger and spanner boy pic.twitter.com/1gMe6vKAnU
— Weta The Fifth (@Arllence) September 11, 2019
Please @KBonimtetezi do not involve mzee Noah Wanyama in this charade. If you wanted a bit of Mariga's money you must have already pocketed some. Just don't vomit on the dad's shoes. He is a much better person than you and your fellow hand out seekers.
— parassis otieno (@ParassisO) September 11, 2019
There's nothing like HUSTLER NATION. This hustler story has some life because you are LUCKY, lucky that millions of Kenyans are GULLIBLE and easily manipulated into thinking that some billionaire and millionaire "hustlers" with questionable wealth have their interests at heart.
— Ben Kairu (@bkairu5) September 11, 2019
On Wednesday, IEBC commissioners were holed up in a meeting as they sought an interpretation of the law.
The by-election will be held on November 7.
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