Written By John Mutiso 📝
Dr Julius Malombe, the Wiper Democratic Movement-Kenya party’s gubernatorial candidate for Kitui County, has suffered a huge setback as the High Court overturned his nomination.
Dr Malombe’s Wiper ticket was canceled by Lady Justice Christine Meoli, who ordered the party to hold a new nomination process within 72 hours.
The court found strong evidence that the Wiper nomination certificate was granted in violation of the Political Parties Act and the party’s own Nomination Regulations.
Former Kenyan High Commissioner to Uganda Kiema Kilonzo initiated the petition, which questioned the Wiper party’s decision to give Dr Malombe a straight ticket.
Justice Meoli overruled a decision by the Political Parties Dispute Resolution Tribunal that upheld the party’s position, causing Ambassador Kilonzo to seek remedy in the High Court.
Dr. Malombe, who was supposed to present his nomination papers to the Kitui County Returning Officer on Monday, will now have to wait until the disagreement is addressed, as there are no options for running as an independent candidate.
With only two days left, the verdict is a severe setback for both the party and their governorship candidate, requiring them to hold a new nomination process as mandated by the court.
On April 25, 2022, Mr Kilonzo went to court after exhausting internal party conflict resolution methods. His accusations were dismissed by the Wiper National Elections Appeals Board.
The former ambassador was represented in court by former Law Society of Kenya Chairman Eric Mutua.
“Whereas Wiper party made a decision to use a direct party nomination method of conducting its nominations for the position of governor, Kitui County, this last minute change contravened Section 38 of Political Parties Act” read Mr Kilonzo’s submission to court.
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