Wajir Governor Mohamed Abdi Mahamud today failed to appear in court to testify in a petition challenging his election.
Muhamud was the last witness in the matter and in the petitioner’s view, he failed to appear in court to avoid embarrassment because of his academic qualifications.
It is the petitioners’ argument that the Governor does not meet the required academic qualifications to hold office.
His lawyer did not give any explanation as to why his client failed to come and give his testimony.
However, a Jubilee chief agent who testified today told court that the Wajir Gubernatorial elections were free and fair contrary to the allegations by former Governor Ahmed Abdullahi Mohamad.
The agent, Mohammed Abbas testified before Justice Alfred Mabeya that there was no voter bribery as alleged adding that the voting process went on smoothly till all the voters exercised their right.
The court heard that in some polling stations, the petitioner Abdullahi received all votes while Mohamud received none and there were no complains in such instances.
“I do not understand why former governor is calling the election a sham yet he does not complain of areas where he received all the votes in some stations,” said Abbas.
The judge directed the parties to file and serve their submissions not exceeding 30 pages within six days each.
The petition was filed by the former governor and Muhumed Abdi seeking nullification of the election of Muhamud on grounds that he was not validly elected.
He argues that the incumbent’s clearance to be a candidate for the position of Governor Wajir County in the concluded elections was obtained fraudulently on the basis of a forged degree certificate allegedly from Kampala Uganda.
The petitioners aver that the constitutional and statutory disqualification of the Governor to contest in the elections means his nomination as a candidate and subsequent election was invalid, null and void.
The case will be mentioned on December 13th.
