Omtatah files suit to block IEBC tribunal ruling on Makueni by-election

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Activist Okiya Omtatah (right) at a city court. Photo/FILE  Nation Media Group

By NATION REPORTER
Posted  Monday, July 8  2013 at  12:46

Activist Okiya Omtatah on Monday filed an urgent case to block IEBC from determining whether Kethi Kilonzo and Prof Philip Kaloki should run in Makueni by-election.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) tribunal led chaired by commissioner Joseph Letangule was expected to determine the fate of the two early frontrunners—Cord’s Ms Diana Kethi Kilonzo and Jubilee’s Prof Philip Kaloki on Monday. Read (Cord and Jubilee risk missing Makueni poll)

The tribunal spent Friday and Saturday trying to determine whether the two met the threshold set out in law to participate in the by-election which was occasioned by the death of Senator Mutula Kilonzo on April 27.

The Jubilee coalition took its battle with Cord to the tribunal arguing that Ms Kilonzo is not a registered voter and is, therefore, not eligible to contest.

Also, Wiper party, on whose ticket Prof Kaloki contested the Makueni governor’s election in March, says the Jubilee nominee is still a member of the party.

According to Wiper officials, Prof Kaloki has not met the conditions set by the election rules where a candidate must have been a member of a political party for 45 days before contesting.

The law also states that a person leaving a party must put it in writing before contesting any elective seat. Wiper says this was not done.

It is also argued that between March 4 and the time he presented his papers to the IEBC in Wote on June 27, Prof Kaloki is said to have embraced three parties – Wiper, URP and Narc.