File image of Mbeere North MP Leonard Wamuthende
The Embu High Court has dismissed an election petition challenging the election of Leonard Wamuthende as the Member of Parliament for Mbeere North.
In a ruling on Thursday, May 21, Justice Richard Mwongo ruled that the petitioner, Newton Kariuki, failed to prove claims of electoral irregularities and unlawful conduct by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) during the by-election.
The court held that the evidence presented in the case failed to meet the legal threshold required to nullify an election under the Constitution and the Elections Act.
Consequently, the Embu High Court declared Wamuthende as the validly elected legislator for Mbeere North constituency.
“Having concluded the hearing of the election petition, I certify that the petition is dismissed and the fourth respondent remains the duly elected Member of Parliament for Mbeere North Constituency,” Justice Mwongo ruled.
The High Court judge also ordered the petitioner to pay Ksh4 million in costs.
Wamuthende was elected as the Mbeere North Member of Parliament in the mini polls held on November 27, 2025.
He garnered 15,802 votes, narrowly defeating his closest rival, Newton Kariuki of the Democratic Party, who secured 15,308 votes in the by-election.
Following the outcome, Kariuki moved to the High Court to challenge Wamuthende’s win. In his petition, Kariuki argued that there were irregularities, including voter register anomalies and voter discrepancies.
He also claimed that Forms 35A were altered, there was election violence, voter bribery, agent exclusion, and mishandled election materials.
The ruling comes a week after the High Court in Kakamega dismissed a petition that was challenging the election of David Ndakwa as MP for Malava Constituency.
Justice Stephen Mbugi ruled that the petition filed by Seth Panyako of the Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K) did not meet the threshold needed to nullify the outcome of the election.
