The High Court in Malindi has issued fresh orders indicating that all political parties should end their nominations by Sunday, April 30, 2017.
The new ruling was made just a day after the same court on Monday directed the IEBC to extend the party nominations from Wednesday, April 26 to Monday, May 1 after a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) - Angaza Empowerment Network - moved to court to challenge the poll body 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
In response to the extension of the deadline announced on Monday, IEBC Chair Wafula Chebukati noted that the poll body would comply but warned that this would interfere with the time set aside for political parties to resolve disputes arising from the nominations.
“That means there will be few days for dispute settlement, which is a special component of the primaries. What has been interfered with is the timelines for dispute resolution,” Mr Chebukati said.
Mr Chebukati emphasised that the commission is mandated by law to set timelines for party primaries.
