CJ Maraga wants Political Parties Act amended

Chief Justice, David Maraga, has petitioned Members of the National Assembly to amend the Political Parties Act to allow the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) appoint temporary members to disputes tribunal to handle anticipated avalanche of nomination petitions.

Speaking in Mombasa during the ongoing Seventh Leadership Retreat of the National Assembly, CJ Maraga said this would also cap election disputes for MCAs at High Court while Court of Appeal handles petitions only from Parliamentary and Gubernatorial aspirants and Supreme Court to handle petitions arising from the Presidential polls alone.

According to the CJ, the amendment would see an increment in the number of judges sitting in the political dispute tribunal from the current seven to hasten the conclusion of party primaries petitions before the tribunal.

Maraga further argued the 18 days window provided is small to hear disputes arising from nomination petitions.

The CJ now says that the proposed amendments to the Elections Act have already been forwarded to Parliament for consideration.