Speaker declares Kibra seat vacant to open door for by-election campaigns
Speaker of the National Assembly Justin Muturi has officially declared the Kibra constituency seat vacant following the death of MP Ken Okoth.
The speaker, through Kenya Gazette notice 7260, said the constituency can now hold a by-election.
“In pursurance of the provision of section 16(3) of the Elections Act, 2011, I command you that, due notice being given, you do cause election to be held according to law of a member to serve in the National Assembly for the said constituency,” read the notice published on Wednesday.
The Independent Electoral Commission (IEBC) now has to hold the by-election within three months.
The seat became vacant after the death of Ken Okoth who succumbed to colorectal cancer on July 26.
Okoth was the area MP since 2013 on an ODM ticket.
Various individuals, among them former MPs and contestants in previous elections and other hopefuls have already started positioning themselves to succeed Okoth.
Some of those expected to seek the Orange party’s ticket include Mr Imran Okoth (brother to the late MP), Mr Eliud Owalo, former Embakasi South MP Irshad Sumra, former Senator Elizabeth Ongoro, ODM secretary-general Edwin Sifuna and ODM youth leader Benson Musungu.