Muturi, IEBC given 14 days to respond to degree petitions
The High Court yesterday granted the Speaker of the National Assembly and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) 14 days to respond to two petitions lodged in court challenging the requirement for a university degree to vie for an elective seat.
Justice James Makau made the directive during the mention of the two suits filed by Paul Macharia Wambui, Joseph Karanja Muchai, David Kimani Njenga and Makana Donald who have contested the decision by IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati to implement the degree requirement for candidates.
Appearing before the virtual court session yesterday, the petitioners informed Justice Makau that they want Section 22 of the Electoral Act that requires a candidate to have a degree suspended and IEBC barred from implementing it, saying the decision would lock out many hopefuls.
The petitioners claim that they are holders diploma certificates and are planning to run for seats in the August 9 elections and if the election Act is not suspended, they risk being locked out of the race.
They have sued the IEBC chairman, the National Assembly Speaker and the Attorney General.
They argue that even if the law was enacted before the 2017 election, the National Assembly successfully pushed for the suspension of its implementation after the election in the hope that all aspirants would have obtained the credentials before this year’s General Election.
