Court Orders IEBC To Explain Blocking Of Presidential Aspirant, Peter Gichira

The High Court on Monday directed IEBC to explain why it locked out presidential aspirant Peter Gichira from vying in August 8th General Election.

Justice George Odunga asked the electoral commission to file its response by Tuesday and appear for the inter-party hearing on Wednesday.

Peter Gichira filed the application seeking to be allowed to submit signatures of people who had nominated him to vie for the presidency.

The presidential aspirant claims that he faces an imminent threat of being denied the right to vie as an independent candidate after IEBC  declined to allow him to submit his list of signatures by locking him out of  the exercise for the presentation of nomination papers at the KICC.

On May 26, Justice Odunga nullified sections of the Elections Act and requirements by the electoral commission. Justice Odunga barred IEBC from rejecting nomination signatures lists of 2,000 supporters unless submitted in Excel format, terming the requirement unconstitutional.

However, the High Court judge then declined to issue an order directing the electoral commission to accept the submitted signatures lists of people who nominated the petitioner Gichira.