Following a High Court petition challenging the election of Mbeere North MP Leo Wamuthende, Chief Justice Martha Koome has appointed Justice Richard Mwongo to preside over the case at Embu High Court.
In a Gazette notice published on Friday, January 2, the Chief Justice directed that the election petition for Mbeere North Constituency be heard in the designated Election Court.
This development comes in the wake of a closely contested by-election held on November 27 last year, which saw the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) face off against former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP).
President William Ruto’s UDA party faced a legal challenge after two voters filed a petition disputing the victory of UDA candidate Leo Wa Muthende in the Mbeere North by-election.
The petition, filed in court on Thursday, December 4 last year, is seeking the revocation of Wa Muthende’s win and demands that a fresh election be conducted.
The petitioners argue that, prior to the November 27 by-election, Wa Muthende changed his name from Leonard Muriuki Njeru to Leo Wa Muthende Njeru, a change they claim was not updated in the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) register.
They allege that the Commission’s decision to declare Wa Muthende the winner, despite his name not being accurately reflected on the electoral roll, made the polls unlawful.
Additionally, the petitioners claim that Wa Muthende was not a registered voter at the time of the election, contrary to Kenyan law, which requires all candidates for political office to be duly registered voters.
New Appointments
Separately, Koome has announced new appointments to key judicial committees under the National Council on the Administration of Justice (NCAJ) as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen oversight and governance in the justice system.
On December 11, 2025, Judy W. Gikaru from the Kenya Prisons Service, and Hillary Kimaiyo and Alex Ngunjiri from the National Police Service, were appointed to the NCAJ Working Committee on Information, Communication, and Technology (ICT) for the remainder of the committee’s term.
These appointments replace Anthony Mbuvi, Terah Chadenya, Joseph Nduati, and Samuel Mwilu, with the aim of refreshing expertise and advancing digital integration within the judiciary.
In a related change, Mary Aluvisia Kihamba from the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) was appointed to the NCAJ Committee on Traffic Reforms, replacing Judith Opili.
The Traffic Reforms Committee is responsible for policy recommendations and oversight of road safety and traffic management initiatives.
