Court orders IEBC to explain why it locked out presidential aspirant Gichira

 

A Nairobi court has directed the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to explain why it locked out presidential aspirant Peter Solomon Gichira from vying in the August 8 General Election.

Justice George Odunga, when issuing the directive Monday, said IEBC should also file its response by Tuesday and appear in court for the inter-party hearing on Wednesday.

The directive came after Gichira moved to court last week seeking orders to compel IEBC to register him for the race. He filed an application Monday under a certificate of urgency claiming that the decision to lock him out of the race was malicious and in bad faith.

“I was likely to be excluded from participating in the August 8 General Election after IEBC deliberately disobeyed court orders allowing him to submit his papers,” said Gichira.

“There is real apprehension that IEBC will print ballot papers for the presidential elections and completely lock me out from contesting the general elections in August,” he added.

Gichira had on Monday appeared before Chief Magistrate Francis Andayi and denied three counts of attempting murder by trying to jump off sixth floor of the Anniversary Towers building, creating disturbance, and malicious damage to property.

The court heard that the accused committed the offense on May 27, 2017 at the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) offices at Anniversary Towers in Nairobi.