Kenya: High Court Hears Suit Against Sakaja’s Candidature in Nairobi Governor’s Race

Nairobi — The High Court on Monday begun hearing the case filed by a petitioner who wants the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) not to print Unite Democratic Alliance (UDA) gubernatorial candidate Johnson Sakaja’s name on the ballot papers.

This is after, Dennis Wahome petitioned the High Court to bar the electoral agency from printing ballot papers for Nairobi until the case is heard and determined.

Wahome had asked the court to temporarily block the commission from including Sakaja’s name on the ballot paper because his degree from Team University, Uganda is not authentic.

IEBC Chairperson Wafula Chebukati declined to revoke Sakaja’s clearance stating that the issue was deliberated upon by the Commission’s disputes resolution tribunal that cleared him.

The petitioner wants the High Court to issue conservatory orders to block the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) from printing the ballot papers for Nairobi County until the case is heard and determined.

“THAT pending the hearing and determination of the Petition, this Honourable Court be pleased to grant a conservatory order restraining the 1st Respondent from printing ballot papers for the position of county Governor, Nairobi City County in the general elections scheduled for 9th August, 2022,” read the court papers.

Wahome had filed a similar case at the Independent Disputes Resolutions Committee (IDRC) to challenging his clearance to run for office on grounds that his academic papers presented for clearance are fake, days after he was cleared by the electoral commission.

The Committee dismissed the petition citing lack of jurisdiction to probe his academic credentials as the Commission on University Education had already validated his degree.

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