The High Court in Malindi has made a surprise decision extending the deadline for party nominations, set by the IEBC, from Wednesday, April 26 to Monday, May 1.
The new ruling was made hours after a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) – Angaza Empowerment Network – moved to court to challenge the IEBC for failing to extend the deadline which it termed as unconstitutional.
Mr George Miringu, an official of the NGO, noted that it was wrong for the IEBC to reduce the timelines for the primaries by 10 days and urged the High Court to intervene and direct the poll body to extend the period by 10 days
“My organisation has been monitoring the nomination exercise currently underway with increasing concern and alarm. All parties have experienced serious problems and difficulties in conducting the elections which the media has described as chaotic, shambolic, beset with numerous logistical challenges, affected by violence and electoral malpractices,” he stated
This development comes a day after the IEBC rejected requests by political parties to extend the party nomination deadline indicating that all parties should conclude their nomination process by the April 26.
Speaking during a presser on Sunday, IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati reiterated that all the party primaries should be concluded within the stipulated timelines.
“Some political parties had requested, during the meeting, for an extension of the party primary timelines…however, after deliberations, the commission directs political parties to complete their nominations within the stipulated gazetted timelines,” he stated
He further indicated that all the parties had until May 10 to resolve all disputes that would come up during the nomination process.
