Date set for ruling on Governor Sonkos petition

The High Court will on Thursday (December 7, 2017) deliver a ruling on whether an election petition against Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko will be struck out or not.

This is after parties in the case who include the electoral commission and two voters made their submissions on Monday (December 4).

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) asked the court to dismiss the petition against Governor Sonko saying that it is “incurable and defective for failing to join a critical party, deputy governor, to the proceedings.”

In the application, Sonko also insisted that the election petition against his August 8 election should be dismissed on grounds that it is defective for failure to include his Deputy, Polycarp Igathe.

The two petitioners, Japeth Muroko and Zacheus Okoth Oliech, opposed Sonko’s assertions claiming that his application lacks merit.

They argue that the petition dated 8th September 2017 complies with the law and the mandatory provisions of rule 8 of the Elections (County and Parliamentary petitions) rules.

The petitioners further argue that the deputy governor was not an elective candidate in the gubernatorial elections and was not nominated by any political party as a candidate.