The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairman Wafula Chebukati is now seeking to save the political careers of impeached leaders including former Nairobi governor Mike Sonko.
Speaking at an event with media editors on Saturday, June 25, the IEBC chair proposed that Parliament should consider formulating a law that allows ousted county bosses to vie for political office years after ten years.
Should the proposal sail through, impeached leaders will be permeated to make political comebacks after a decade in the cold.
That is a departure from the current law, Chapter six of the Constitution on Leadership and Integrity which indicates that impeached leaders should be permanently barred from holding any other state office.
In his address, Chebukati also noted that disqualified contestants will not have their names on the ballot come the August 9 General Election.
He made the announcement after the High Court, which was hearing a number of suits filed by some of the disqualified contestants, ruled that it had no jurisdiction in hearing integrity issues.
The court subsequently returned the matter to the IEBC's Disputes Resolution Tribunal which Chebukati says is water under the bridge.
He argued that the Commission was concerned with printing the ballot papers, with less than 45 days left before the elections.
"I have not read the judgment but from what you are saying, if the court has referred back to us, it is now functus officio because we have moved on. We have finished the nominations and now we are planning to print ballot papers. We shall not revisit those issues.
"Elections are at the polling stations. Those who will vote will be counted and the results tabulated," stated Chebukati in a question and answer session.
The affected politicians include Sonko, former Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu and former Kiambu Senate Aspirant Karungo Thang'wa.
Still to be determined, however, is a suit by seven lobby groups over IEBC's decision to abolish manual registers and use the Kenya Integrated Election Management System (KIEMS). They argue that in case the kits fail, the election would be postponed.
Chebukati has already summoned the four presidential candidates, Raila Odinga, William Ruto, George Wajackoyah and David Mwaure for a meeting next week Wednesday to chart the forward as the clock ticks towards August 9.
