The High Court has put a temporary stop to the swearing-in of the new Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairperson and commissioners.
In a ruling delivered on Thursday, Justice Lawrence Mugambi said that although Parliament can go ahead with vetting the seven nominees, none of them can officially take office until a legal challenge against the nomination process is resolved.
Justice Mugambi explained that the case raises weighty public interest issues that deserve a broader judicial review. He has therefore forwarded the matter to Chief Justice Martha Koome to form a multi-judge bench to hear the petition.
Earlier this month, President William Ruto nominated Erastus Edung Ethekon to chair the IEBC. Other nominees include Anne Nderitu, Moses Mukwana, Mary Karen Sorobit, Hassan Noor, Francis Odhiambo, and Fahima Abdalla.
The nominations are now under legal scrutiny after two petitioners filed a case arguing that the selection process was flawed and unconstitutional.
