By Rading Biko
Kalonzo said that the
people of Mombasa should not be disenfranchised. You cannot be barred from
running for any office unless all the legal avenues have been exhausted .
Governor Sonko has an active matter before the supreme court and
all other courts are subordinate to the supreme court.
Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka accompanies Mike Sonko in court [ Image Twitter/ Kalonzo Musyoka]
The Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka has
vowed to ensure that Mike Mbuvi Sonko’s name is on the ballot for Mombasa
gubernatorial race in the upcoming August General Election.
He was speaking in Mombasa where he filed
a case before the IEBC dispute tribunal challenging the electoral commission’s
decision to block the former Nairobi Governor from vying in the upcoming August
General Election.
Kalonzo tweeted that “We sought to
overturn an injustice. We believe in the age-old dictum of “presumption of
innocence”. We have refused to be “unheard”. Let justice
prevail.”
This follows IEBC’s rejection to clear
Sonko to contest for the position of Governor, Mombasa County.
He describes IEBC as playing double
standards on their candidate vying for the Mombasa gubernatorial position.
“The people of Mombasa must not be
disfranchise from electing the person they want. Our constitution is very
clear, unless you have exhausted all the legal avenue then IEBC can bar you
from vying for an elective post.I have instructed our legal team to raise
pleminary objection to IEBC and the matter will be heard tomorrow.”Kalonzo
affirms.
He further compares the case of Sonko to
that of John Walukhe who was cleared to contest for the position of Member of
Parliament Sirisia Constituency yet he has a pending case.
Kalonzo adds “Governor Sonko has an active matter before
the supreme court and all other courts are subordinate to the supreme court.The
people of Mombasa must get justice.We can even quote the ICC cases and that’s
why our friends were allowed to run ”
The party now wants the panel to direct
IEBC to issue Sonko with the nomination papers saying that there is no legal
basis for the commission to reject Sonko’s bid to vie for the Governor seat.
The tribunal has since directed that the
Returning Officer files his responses and appear before it tomorrow (Wednesday)
for an inter-party hearing.
Earlier on IEBC disqualified Sonko from contesting in
the August elections on grounds that he was impeached from public office.
According to IEBC Chair Wafula
Chebukati “A person who is removed from
office on contravention of Chapter 6 of the Constitution is disqualified from
holding any other State or public office whether elective or appointive.”
