A petitioner has moved to court to stop the appointment of four persons to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) as commissioners.
Through a petition filed on Wednesday, September 1, Nornael Okello moved to High Court under a certificate of urgency challenging the nomination of the four commissioners on grounds that they violate the constitution.
Okello argues that the appointment of the four contravenes the two-thirds gender rule.
The petitioner further argues that one of the nominees, Irene Cherop Masiit, if appointed, will contravene the constitution since she had presented herself for elections in the immediate past election.
Among others roped in the court battle include the IEBC selection panel, National Assembly, and Attorney General Paul Kihara for failing to adhere to the two-thirds gender rule.
The petitioner has certified the matter as urgent and asked the court to issue appropriate directions.
The petition comes even as President Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday, September 2, appointed the four; Juliana Wihonge Chirera, Francis Mathenge Wanderi, Irene Cherop, and Justice Abonyo Nyangaya to the IEBC.
National Assembly’s Justice and Legal Affairs Committee, chaired by Kangema Member of Parliament, Muturi Kigano, vetted the nominees and forwarded its report to Parliament which subsequently approved it.
Interviews to fill the four vacant positions of commissioners at the electoral agency kicked off early July with 36 candidates facing the selection panel in the fort-night long exercise.
The four are set to replace Roselyn Akombe, Margaret Mwachanya, Paul Kurgat, and former Vice-Chair, Consolata Nkatha Maina, who resigned from the commission after the contested 2017 General Election.
