IEBC Appeals Reuben Kigame’s Inclusion in Presidential Race

The electoral commission has challenged a decision by the High Court ordering it to accept Reuben Kigame’s papers to run in the general election on August 9.

Chairman of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Wafula Chebukati listed three major legal barriers that, in his opinion, prevent the court judgment from being implemented.

Due to his failure to secure more than 2,000 signatures from a majority of the counties, the IEBC’s Dispute Resolution Committee (DRC) barred Kigame from vying for the country’s top seat.

According to Chebukati, the high court judgment poses a number of legal and practical challenges.

Read: Win for Reuben Kigame As IEBC Ordered to Accept Nomination Papers

First, that the Constitution requires a candidate for a presidential election to be “nominated by not fewer than two thousand voters from each of a majority of the counties.”

“The requirement to be nominated by at least 48,000 supporters is thus a constitutional requirement whose non-compliance renders the nomination papers invalid,” Chebukati argues.

Second, Chebukati claims that in order for the court to reach the conclusion it reached, it should have mentioned that a list of supporters was provided to it.

“The list of supporters referred to by the Court has not been presented to the Commission nor has it been analysed to determine whether the listed nominating supporters meet the prescribed numbers and are registered voters as required,” he says.

Read Also: Wajackoyah, Reuben Kigame Out of Presidential Race

Additionally, Chebukati claimed that because the commission operates under rigorous election deadlines, the court’s decision is time-barred.

“The range of steps and processes required to give effect to the Judgment may severely jeopardize the holding of presidential elections on 9th August, 2022, being only 19 days from today,” he continues.

Last week, Justice Antony Mrima stated that by locking Kigame out of the election, the Chebukati-led electoral agency had infringed on Kigame’s rights.

Justice Murima ordered that the electoral agency allows the seasoned gospel musician to submit his papers for evaluation and approval.

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Kigame expressed confidence that his name will be on the ballot and applauded court’s decision.

He stated that justice had been done as he faulted the agency for rejecting his nomination papers in the first place.

“It has been a very long wait and quite dark for the last seven weeks. But I say Lipo tumaini,” he said.

The win, he asserted, was not just for him but also for those seeking to build a better Kenya.

Read Also: Gospel Singer Reuben Kigame Launches Presidential Bid

In June, the aspiring head of state sued the IEBC after it found that he did not comply with the electoral body’s set requirements.

He sought orders compelling the IEBC to accept the documents he had submitted pending the hearing and determination of his Application.

“A conservatory order issued barring the 1st & 2nd Respondent (IEBC and Wafula Chebukati) from processing the papers for the other Presidential candidates for the upcoming General Election on 9th August 2022 pending the hearing and determination of the Application,” his petition read in part.