IEBC wants Supreme Court to expedite full judgment release

The electoral commission has written to the Supreme Court requesting it to expedite release of the full judgment, saying the reasons given for the invalidation of the presidential election will inform how the fresh poll will be conducted and organized.

Through an affidavit by V.A. Nyamodi & Company Advocates, The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) lamented that the 21 days the seven judges of the Supreme Court gave themselves to issue the full verdict is too long and could possibly derail the fresh poll.

The IEBC has until Nov 1 to conduct a fresh poll even though it has already set October 17 as the new election date, but is facing resistance from the National Super Alliance who have demanded consultations before date is set.

On September 1, the Supreme Court nullified the presidential election ruling that the IEBC failed, neglected or refused to conduct the election in the manner dictated in the Constitution.

Acknowledging that time is not on their side, the election referee wants the court to deliver the ruling as soon as possible to avoid a repeat of past mistakes and to know exactly what went wrong.

“The reasons for the court’s decision are instructive to our client in its preparations of the fresh election ordered by the court. We, IEBC, kindly instruct the Supreme Court to give its reasons for annulling the August 8 presidential election in the shortest time possible as its reasons will inform the manner in which the fresh election will be organized and conducted,” reads the affidavit.

There are serious disagreements within IEBC after Chairperson Wafula Chebukati sidelined six of its Secretariat members including CEO Ezra Chiloba and ICT Director James Muhati, further appointing a seven-member committee to coordinate the October 17 fresh polls.

However, IEBC seems to have plunged into a crisis as four of its staff including Chiloba, Muhati, and Commissioners- Vice Chairperson Consolata Nkatha, Paul Kurgat, Abdi Guliye and Boya Molu are said to have disagreed with Chebukati’s decision.