In communication to the parties, the Supreme Court Registrar Esther Nyaiyaki said the conference would be held from 7pm onwards/FILE
NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 25 – The pre-trial conference for the Raila Odinga presidential election petition will be held on Saturday night.
In communication to the parties, the Supreme Court Registrar Esther Nyaiyaki said the conference would be held from 7pm onwards.
Chief Justice David Maraga in his interview for the job stated that he would not be able to sit in on a matter before sundown on a Saturday, even a presidential election petition, being a Seventh Day Adventist.
The Supreme Court rules on the handling of a presidential election petition however prescribe that the conference be held on the eighth day following the filing of a presidential election petition which in this case, is Saturday.
The purpose of a pre-trial conference is to identify the issues for determination as well as set a place and time for the hearing of the petition in addition to other housekeeping matters.
Maraga had directed the co-petitioners, Odinga and his running mate in the August 8 presidential election Kalonzo Musyoka, to file their written submissions by 1pm Friday, which they did.
The respondents who are President Kenyatta, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission and its Chairperson Wafula Chebukati had till 7pm.
Those seeking to be admitted as amicus also had until Friday 1pm to file their applications and briefs.
Once the hearing commences, it will go on day-to-day with the Constitution giving the court until next Friday to hear and determine the matter.
On Friday, as the petitioners filed their written submissions, Senior Counsel James Orengo promised a “bombshell” of a case.
Odinga and Musyoka want the court to find the August 8 presidential election invalid.
About The Author
