Ekuru Aukot claims Raila is public officer, should be barred from vying for presidency
Thirdway Alliance Kenya Party leader Ekuru Aukot has filed a petition in court seeking to bar ODM party leader Raila Odinga from vying for the presidency in the coming election.
In his petition, the former presidential candidate wants Raila and other leaders including Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper), and Musalia Mudavadi (ANC) barred from contesting in the upcoming polls because, according to him, they are public officers.
Aukot argues that the three are public officers since they are beneficiaries of the Retirement Benefits Acts - enjoyed by retired state officers - and therefore are unqualified to vie for the presidency.
He insisted that the three are retired state officers and that they are currently enjoying hefty retirement packages from the public due to their roles as advisors to the government.
"The Act recognizes the entitled persons and grants them both a generous retirement package and an obligation to serve as advisors to the government and the people of Kenya. The advisory role as stipulated under section 8 of the Act is not optional and the relevant persons are obligated to serve as advisors throughout their lifetime. This privilege is not available even to career civil servants," Aukot says in his petition.
"It is the considered view of the Petitioners that the said respondents are by dint of the said Act of parliament public officers as their benefits are drawn from the consolidated fund as allocated by Parliament and their role is defined under the selfsame piece of legislation," the petition adds.
According to Aukot, Raila, Kalonzo and Mudavadi ought to have resigned from what he describes as their advisory role before they seek any political seat.
He, therefore, asked the court to direct the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) not to clear the trio to vie for the presidency or the deputy president position in the August 9 general election.
The Third Way Alliance party leader says that if IEBC fails to bar the three from participating in the election, the commission will be committing a crime.
