How Mbeere North MP-Elect Wa Muthende Allegedly Beat System With Two Names as Election Scandal Erupts
A fresh electoral dispute has emerged at the Embu High Court after two voters from Mbeere North filed a petition seeking to nullify the November 27, 2025 parliamentary by-election, alleging that the declared winner contested the seat under conflicting identities.
The petitioners — Julieta Karigi Kithumbu and Patrick Gitonga Gichoni — claim the results announced by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) are unconstitutional, arguing that the winning candidate, Leonard Wa Muthende Njeru, participated in the poll without consistent legal identification.
In the court papers, the two voters describe what they term a “grave and unconstitutional irregularity” in the nomination and identification of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate. They argue that the IEBC failed in its duty to ensure that all candidate information, including names appearing on the ballot and in the Kenya Integrated Elections Management System (KIEMS), matched records in the official voter register.
According to the petition, the name that appeared on the ballot — “Leo wa Muthende Njeru” — could not be found in the Mbeere North Register of Voters. One petitioner recounts noticing the discrepancy on polling day, stating:
“During voting, I noted that one of the candidates in the by-elections was Leo wa Muthende Njeru of the United Democratic Alliance party.”
Despite this, the Returning Officer later announced Leo Wa Muthende Njeru as the winner with 15,802 votes, prompting the petitioners to verify the candidate’s voter registration details.
Their inquiry, they say, revealed that the only name appearing in the register under the relevant National ID number was “Leonard Muriuki Njeru.”
“Upon checking the official Register, I discovered that the only name registered in the electoral roll is Leonard Muriuki Njeru under National Identity Card No. 2-0-8-9,” one petitioner states.
The petition acknowledges that the candidate had legally changed his name through Gazette Notice No. 13575 dated 3 September 2025, officially adopting the new identity Leo wa Muthende Njeru. However, the voters argue that despite this formal change, the IEBC failed to update the KIEMS Kit, ballot papers, and candidate record systems, leading to a situation where two different identities were used during the electoral process.
The petition further alleges that on polling day, the KIEMS Kit still identified the candidate as Leonard Muriuki Njeru, despite the name having been legally abandoned.
“On polling day, the KIEMS Kit identified the 1st Respondent under the name he had already abandoned by law,” the document reads.
The voters accuse the electoral body of breaching constitutional standards governing elections. They argue that the candidate’s participation under inconsistent names “rendered the election uncertain, unverifiable, and irredeemably defective,” citing violations of Articles 81(e) and 86(a)-(c) of the Constitution, which guarantee free, fair, accurate and verifiable elections.
They also reference Article 99(1)(a), which outlines eligibility for parliamentary candidates, noting:
“A person is eligible for election as a Member of Parliament only if that person is duly registered as a voter.”
The petitioners warn that unless the court intervenes, Mbeere North may end up with what they term an “illegitimate” representative.
“I have legitimate concern that I will be represented… by a person who has not complied with the law regarding placement of details in the electoral records,” one states.
The Embu High Court is now expected to schedule a hearing date as the petitioners seek orders to nullify the by-election and compel IEBC to conduct a fresh poll. The case adds to the growing scrutiny of electoral procedures ahead of the next general elections.
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How Mbeere North MP-Elect Wa Muthende Allegedly Beat System With Two Names as Election Scandal Erupts