Supreme Court’s new directive on petition to nullify October 26 election

The Supreme Court has issued a directive ordering all the eight presidential candidates in the October 26 presidential election to file a response to a petition seeking to nullify the just-concluded poll.

In a notice issued by the Supreme Court deputy registrar, the candidates, including NASA leader Raila Odinga, who withdrew his candidature, were asked to file a response to the petition filed by Activist Okiya Omtatah.

Omtatah enjoined the eight candidates in the case as interested parties.

“The applicant should serve their applications with written submissions by 5 pm on Thursday 2nd November. The Respondents should file and serve their responses with written submissions by 5 pm on Tuesday 7th November,” directed the Supreme Court.

The case will be mentioned November 10.

Omtata wants the court to determine whether the October 26 election was invalid, null and void and whether IEBC  should be ordered to conduct a fresh presidential election.

According to the activist, the fresh presidential election held on 26th October 2017 was irregular before it was held, was invalid, null and void having been vacated by the decision of the NASA candidates withdraw.

The activist argues that the announcement by IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati on October 18, that he could not guarantee a credible election renders the results of the October 26 poll “untrustworthy”.