Ledama Faults Ruling Requiring Senators Seeking Governor, Presidential Seats To Quit 6 Months Before Elections

Narok Senator Ledama Olekina has faulted the court ruling requiring senators seeking governor, presidential seats to quit 6 months before elections.

According to Ledama, this is absurd and mutilation of the constitution.

“The constitution of Kenya is being mutilated left right and center! Now a judge says any senator who wants to ran as Governor or President must resign 6 months in advance before a general election,” he wrote.

The constitution of kenya is being mutilate left right and center! Now a judge says any senator who wants to ran as Governor or President must resign 6 months in advance before a general election.

— Sen. Ledama Olekina (@ledamalekina) October 13, 2020

Read: James Orengo Opposes Election of Senator Ledama ole Kina As Chair of the Powerful CPAIC Committee, Withdraws Minority Membership

In a High Court ruling by Justice Weldon Korir last week, Governors eyeing the presidency in the 2022 polls will have to resign from their current positions six months before the election date. This applies to the Senators who are also seeking the governorship.

Failure for the governors to resign before declaring interest for the presidency will render them ineligible to be cleared by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

Some of the governors who have declared their interests for the top seat come 2022 include Wycliffe Oparanya,  Kivutha Kibwana, Hassan Joho, Mwangi wa Iria and Alfred Mutua.

Read Also: Senator Ledama Olekina Released, Blames DP Ruto For His Woes

Ideally, the only holders of political office who can stand a presidential election without having to resign 6 months in advance are the President, Deputy President and MP.

“Not even a governor or deputy governor is exempted by the provision. The reason is that in the constitutional matrix, governors and deputy governors belong to the same family with MCAs.  This means that an MCA cannot participate in a presidential election before quitting his seat,’ Justice Korir ruled