Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu has made a special appeal to former Governor Julius Malombe after losing the petition he had filed challenging her victory in the August 8 election.
Speaking to journalists at the Milimani Law Courts on Friday after her election victory was upheld, Ngilu extended an olive branch to Malombe, saying she needs his support to serve Kitui residents.Ngilu said Malombe has a wealth of public service experience, adding that she will approach him for partnership."I am grateful to God for this victory and extend a hand to Malombe who I respect so much to work with me in pushing the development agenda forward," she said.Ngilu said that time for politics is over and that elected leaders should get down to work.The former Lands Cabinet Secretary thanked her supporters and Kitui residents for standing with her during the petition hearing."I will ever be grateful to all those who stood with me during this hard period," she said.High Court Judge Pauline Nyamweya upheld Governor Ngilu's victory, ruling that she was validly elected.The Judge dismissed the petition filed by Malombe, noting that it lacked merit.In the ruling, Justice Nyamweya said that the petitioner (Malombe) failed to provide evidence of massive illegalities and irregularities in the gubernatorial election.The court slapped the former Wiper Governor with a Sh6 million fine as the cost of the petition.Malombe challenged Ngilu’s victory citing massive irregularities in the election process.The former governor in the petition accused Ngilu of allegedly bribing voters before and during the polling day.Ngilu was declared the winner of the Kitui gubernatorial election after garnering 169,990 votes against Malombe’s 74,681 votes.