BY SAM ALFAN.
A petition by Mombasa Gubernatorial candidate Mike Sonko challenging the move to bar him from contesting in the August 9 elections will be heard by a bench of three judges.
This was after High Court judge Olga Sewe certified the case as urgent and forwarded the file to Chief Justice Martha Koome for appointment of a bench to hear the appeal.
“I’m of the considered view of empanelling the bench by the Chief Justice. This file should therefore be transmitted to the Chief Justice for the empanelling of the bench,” ruled Olga.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission dispute resolution committee barred Sonko from contesting on grounds that he was impeached and hence not eligible to hold public office.
However, Sonko says he challenged the impeachment decision and hearing is pending before the Supreme Court.
Sonko wants high court to temporarily bar the electoral body from publishing names of candidates seeking to contest the Mombasa county gubernatorial seat, pending the determination of the application.
The former city boss also wants the court to compel IEBC to furnish court with copies of the degree certificates as submitted to the county Returning Officer.
Sonko told the court that he was nominated by the Wiper Party as its candidate for the Mombasa County Gubernatorial candidate seat in the coming general election.
IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati had issued a media statement purporting that Sonko was disqualified from contesting for the seat of Mombasa Governor
He presented his papers before Mombasa Returning Officer Swalha Ibrahim Yusuf at 2:30 pm as per IEBC checklist.
