NAIROBI, Kenya, June 10 – The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Dispute Resolution Committee is on Friday set to commence hearing complaints from dissatisfied aspirants who were seeking various seats in the August polls but were locked out from the nomination process.
The nomination process concluded on June 7, 2022.
According to the electoral agency boss Wafula Chebukati, more than 160 complaints were filed before the Dispute Resolution Committee which will now hear the petitions until June 20, 2022 at the Milimani Law Courts.
After hearing the complaints, the committee is expected to make determinations within two weeks paving way for the Commission to prepare ballot papers an exercise slated to take place at the end of June.
Presidential aspirants who never met the cut including Jimi Wanjigi of Safina Party, Ekuru Aukot of Thirdway Alliance and independent presidential aspirant James Kamua are among those who are scheduled to appear before the committee after they filed their complaints seeking an embargo on the commission’s decision to bar them from contesting.
The three who call themselves the voice of the people were disqualified from the exercise due to lack of academic qualification and insufficient signatures.
Wanjigi who was thrown out due to a lack of a degree certificate alleged that the commission is under instructions from authorities above to bar him from vying.
“This template of dictatorship was defeated before and we shall defeat it now,” said Wanjigi.
In his complaint to the Commission’s Dispute Resolution Tribunal, Aukot through his lawyers – Kosgei, Muriuki and Koome Advocates — alleged that Chebukati “had a predetermined outcome” on his quest to run for the country’s top seat.
“To the extent that the Commission appeared bent on disqualifying our nominees, the Commission’s decision violated the rules of natural justice and the requirement that such a decision by a public body must rely only on relevant considerations,” Aukot said.
Reuben Kigame who was also eyeing the country’s top seat but was locked out has since accused the Commission of being discriminative after having been lock out for lack of enough signatures.
Kigame also accused Chebukati and his commission of deliberately using regulations so as to lock out some aspirants.
“Chebukati and IEBC are the most discriminative entity in this country, they refused to receive my signatures arguing that am late,” Kigame said.
“As the voice of the people we will not be silenced,” he added.
The Commission cleared four candidates to contest for presidency namely: David Mwaure Waihiga (Agano Party), Professor George Wajackoyah (Roots Party), Raila Odinga (Azimio Coalition Political Party) and William Ruto (United Democratic Alliance-UDA).
