The Embu High Court has officially launched a court-directed scrutiny and partial recount of ballots from the contested Mbeere North Constituency by-election held in November 2025. The exercise, which is being overseen by Deputy Registrar Mercy Kinyua, started on Monday but faced early delays.
Delays Mark Start of Exercise
The process stalled shortly after it began when the petitioner failed to promptly provide access to the storage facility holding the ballot boxes and KIEMS kits. The room, secured with multiple padlocks, could not be opened on time, slowing down the recount process. Petitioner’s lawyer, Ndegwa Njiru, was seen making urgent calls to colleagues to deliver the remaining keys required to access the facility.
Court-Ordered Scrutiny
The recount follows a ruling delivered virtually on Friday by Justice Richard Mwongo. In his directive, the judge ordered scrutiny in selected polling stations where concerns about electoral irregularities had been raised.
The stations earmarked for scrutiny include:
- Gitiburi 1 and 2
- Kaungu
- Siakago Social Hall
- Mwondu Primary School
- Gikuyari Primary School
- Nthigirani 1/1
- Kamauwa 1/1
- Gwakaithi 1/1
- Mbaruari 1/1
- Cingera 2/2
Background of the Dispute
The by-election, conducted by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), initially declared Leonard Wamuthende Njeru of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) as the winner. However, the outcome was contested by Newton Kariuki Ndwiga of the Democratic Party (DP), who filed a petition challenging the results, citing irregularities in the voting process.
Legal Tensions Emerge
Tensions briefly escalated at the court premises as delays persisted. The respondents’ legal team, led by Adrian Kimotho, requested the court’s approval to break the padlocks to avoid further disruption. Kimotho argued that the petitioner’s inability to provide access was obstructing the court-ordered process. He further warned that failure to comply could result in the petitioner losing access to the tallying centre.
Following a brief exchange between the opposing legal teams, the Deputy Registrar ordered members of the media to leave the courtroom to allow proceedings to continue smoothly. The ongoing scrutiny and recount are expected to play a crucial role in determining whether the election results will stand or be overturned. The outcome could significantly impact the political landscape in Mbeere North Constituency.
