A Kenyan high court has ordered the country’s Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission to include the Presidential candidate of a smaller political party in the October 26 repeat presidential poll.
Thirdway Alliance presidential candidate Ekuru Aukot will now get the chance to be placed on the ballot for the election.
The High Court judge, Justice John Mativo asked the electoral commission to amend a gazette notice issued on presidential candidates allowed to contest the repeat election and include Mr Aukot’s name.
The judge in his judgment said disallowing Mr Aukot from contesting the re-run poll amounts to discrimination without reason.
The Supreme Court ordered the re-run of the elections after blaming the electoral commission of not following due process in the conduct of the elections.
The high court ruled that since the re-run election is a fresh poll and not a run-off, the petitioner deserves to be included in the process.
“I find nothing to bar the petitioner from contesting the fresh election,” said Justice John Mativo.
The opposition leader, Raila Odinga on Tuesday announced his decision to withdraw from the fresh poll. The latest ruling from the high court now means that President Uhuru Kenyatta could have a challenger for the October 26, re-run.
Source: Africafeeds.com
