Makueni Senator Dan Maanzo has vowed to move to court to seek legal redress after the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Selection Panel added six candidates to the initial shortlist under unclear circumstances.
According to the Wiper legislator, he will be moving to court to petition for the abolishment of the entire process.
In what might further delay the reconstitution of the electoral body, Maanzo revealed that part of his prayers to the court would be to have the process start afresh.
The advocate of the High Court stated that the matter would only be settled once the selection process is conducted transparently and in a manner that earns the confidence of all Kenyans.
''The six additional candidates were selected at night and added to the list. We will not accept if they are brought in among the list of the final shortlist at the Parliament. So if you were shortlisted later, kindly opt out because we will not accept you," Maanzo stated.
''We will challenge the exercise in court. We will be seeking orders to quash the whole process for us to begin afresh. We will be in court until we find commissioners that all Kenyans agree with.''
On April 9, the Elections Observation Group (ELOG) flagged the mysterious addition of six names in the recruitment process for new commissioners and the Chairperson of IEBC.
"While noting that the panel did communicate on the increase and the general reasons behind it, concerns remain on the procedure used to select the additional names and raise questions as to why this criterion was not employed from the beginning as directed by the relevant laws and regulations," a statement from ELOG read in part.
On April 8, a group of petitioners filed a petition at the High Court, seeking to stop the ongoing shortlisting process due to violations of the Constitution, particularly concerning the appointment of public officers as panelists.
The petition was filed by activist Bob Njagi, Nicholas Oyoo, Felix Wambua, Halima Shariff, Florence Kanyua, Njoroge Wanjigi, and a lobby group, Free Kenya Initiatives.
Ruto's China Trip
According to the Senator, Kenyans have collectively resolved to deny President William Ruto a second term, citing dissatisfaction with his track record.
Maanzo further alleged that the president's planned trip to China was part of a covert scheme by the government to secure more resources for looting by state officials.
''He must go; he has made life very difficult. Even his upcoming China trip is part of the budgeted graft. He will bring in the loan, and it will be up for grabs by the very vultures in the government," Maanzo stated.
