Case on campaign financing laws set for February 2
A case challenging the decision by the National Assembly to revoke the Campaign Financing rules by the Independent Boundaries and Electoral Commission (IEBC) will now be heard on February 2.
When the case came up before Justice Antony Mrima yesterday for directions, he consolidated two cases filed by Katiba Institute, Africa Centre for Open Governance (Africog) and Transparency International as they raise similar issues.
Justice Mrima also allowed an application by Community Advocacy and Awareness Trust to be enjoined in the case as an interested party.
The court, also allowed, a request by Philip Gichana Nyakundi to be enjoined in the case as a third petitioner.
The judge further ordered the parties to file their responses in the matter in 14 days before the highlighting of the submissions on the hearing date.
In the cases, the petitioners have sued the National Assembly and IEBC over the absence of the campaign financing rules ahead of the General Election in August.
They want the court to quash IEBC’s decision to revoke a notice published on August 9, 2021 stipulating financial contributions and spending limits for candidates and political parties in this year’s polls.
They also want the court to dismiss the National Assembly’s resolution of September 28, 2021 to annul and reject the Election Campaign Financing Regulations, which were aimed to regulate use of money in the forthcoming elections to tame electoral malpractices such as voter bribery.
