IEBC Disputes Resolution Tribunal has upheld a decision by the Mombasa County returning officer disqualifying Mike Sonko from the gubernatorial race.
The panel in its ruling said the complainant failed to provide compelling reasons to quash the decision by the returning officer in rejecting his application.
“The complaint lacks merit and is hereby dismissed with no orders as to cost” Wambua Kilonzo the Chair of the committee said in the ruling.
IEBC commissioner Justus Nyang’aya who read the panel’s judgement stated that the complainant failed to submit an original degree certificate for him to be cleared.
Nyang’aya said as provided for in Section 22 (1) (b) one must submit a degree certificate which is a requirement that bounds all aspirants and the aspirant was under obligation to present it.
“The certification that is being accepted by IEBC for the purpose of 2022 general election is the certification by the institution issuing the document,” he stated.
Certification by an advocate, as noted by Nyang’aya is not allowed even though he used the same document for clearance in the 2017 poll.
“Nothing has been placed before this commission to prove that the complainant possesses a degree certificate,” Nyang’aya said.
He, however, said while the complainant later presented it on the last day of the exercise, such was done at 4:30 pm which was beyond the stipulated time.
“The complainant availed the degree certificate but he failed to present it at 4 pm for consideration,” he stated.
