Livondo petitions court to have DP blocked from vying for Presidency

A petitioner has moved to court seeking to have a Kenyan Deputy President blocked from vying for the top seat in subsequent General Elections.

Stanley Livondo wants the Attorney General to declare that when Articles 130 (1), 131 (1) (b) and 148 (6)(a) are read together, they mean that the President and his DP cannot stand for nomination as presidential candidates.

“The Petitioner brings this petition for an interpretation of the provisions….of the Constitution with regards to qualifications and disqualifications of persons intending to vie as a presidential candidate,” the document seen by Citizen Digital reads.

Livondo avers that since the Deputy President and Cabinet Secretaries do not have to go through nomination and are appointed by the President, they work together as a single unit.

According to him, this should be construed to mean that come the general elections in August 2022, neither member of this unit can stand for nomination as a presidential candidate.

He cites Article 142(2) which states that: “The current sitting President is barred from standing for nomination…” and Article 148 (6) (a) which he wants interpreted to mean that a sitting Deputy President who has served for two consecutive terms should also be barred.

“Your petitioner therefore prays that a declaration be issued that Article 137 (2) (b) and (3) of the Constitution be interpreted to mean that it applies to the case of the President and Deputy President reelection at the completion of their first term and to a Member of Parliament at their reelection at following general elections,” the petition reads.

Livondo is further seeking to have past Cabinet Secretaries blocked from taking up any other Executive role or any other national or county government position once a new President is sworn in in 2022.