ELECTION UPHELD By Mercy Mbugua The High Court sitting in Nairobi yesterday upheld the election of Ijara MP, Mr. Ahmed Ibrahim Abass. Delivering the ruling to a capacity crowd, Justice Alfred Mabeya dismissed the suit saying it lacked insufficient evidence required to prove the alleged electoral irregularities. Three voters from Ijara constituency, Abdinasir Yasin Ahmed, Ubah Abdullahi Sanei and Yusuf Suleiman Ahmed had filed the petition claiming that Abass, The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and the Ijara Returning Officer George Chege had engaged in electoral malpractices. They accused the returning officer of irregularly transferring ballot papers from Masalani polling station to Shurie Secondary polling station and Maah dam polling station. The official was also accused of hiring 35 presiding officers from Abass’s immediate sub-clan and issuing excess parliamentary ballot papers to certain voters. The voters also alleged that the legislator engaged in voter bribery, communicated with voters during the electoral process, incited violence and intimidated a parliamentary aspirant and her supporters. The constituents further claimed that the presiding officer purposely caused voter confusion by interchanging lids of the ballot boxes. But, in its response to the suit, IEBC maintained that it conducted a free and fair election according to the constitution and that the outcome of the Ijara elections reflected the will of the people. The High court Judge directed the voters to pay shs 2.5 million to Abass and shs.1.5 million to the IEBC and the returning officer, George Chege.
Posted on: Thu, 26 Sep 2013 07:05:42 +0000
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