Lucas Barasa

8 September 2010

Nairobi — A teacher has been sacked for vying for the Starehe parliamentary seat. Starehe Boys Centre director, Mr Matthew Kithyaka, on Wednesday said that Mr John Opot, a teacher at the centre, was sacked over conflict of interest.

Mr Opot is contesting for the Starehe seat on a Social Democratic Party ticket. Mr Kithyaka said in a letter to Mr Opot that he should have resigned before engaging in active politics.

Mr Opot, however, said the school erred by dismissing him as it is a non-governmental organisation.

Mr Opot, who was the school deputy games teacher before being demoted to swimming teacher, said the school had used his involvement in politics as a scapegoat to sack him.

On Wednesday, Starehe deputy returning officer Mumina Bonaya said preparations for the by-election were in top gear.

She said the Interim Independent Electoral Commission met all the candidates except PNU's Maina Kamanda who sent a representative on Tuesday and they had agreed to conduct peaceful campaigns.

Ms Bonaya said 414 returning officers and their deputies and 886 clerks had been appointed. In Makadara, returning officer Florence Kwamboka said preparations were going smoothly and staff were being hired.

Meanwhile, former assistant minister Dick Wathika, who lost the Makadara seat following an election petition, on Wednesday took his campaign to Lunga Lunga where he donated chairs to Star of Hope Secondary. Mr Wathika is vying on a PNU ticket.

The Starehe, Juja and Makadara by-elections will be held on September 20, while the one for Wajir South will be conducted on October 13.

The deadline for nominations for Wajir South is September 13. All the seats were left vacant following court petitions.