[Photo: People Daily]
Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairperson Wafula Chebukati says Murang’a Woman Rep Sabina Chege’s case where she claimed that the Jubilee party rigged the 2017 General Election will now proceed to a full hearing beginning next Tuesday.
Speaking during a session where IEBC summoned Chege, Chebukati noted that the commission will conduct its investigations following the lawmaker’s utterances.
“We give the following orders; that the preliminary objections raised by counsel for the respondent on 15th Feb 2022 is hereby dismissed and this matter shall proceed to full hearing,” noted Chebukati.
This is after he noted that Chege is subject to the Electoral Code of Conduct and is under duty to abide by the same, as a lawmaker under the Jubilee Party.
He says that all political parties and their members are required to avoid the use of utterances that may cause unrest.
“The respondent is a member of the Jubilee party and a serving Woman Rep. The Jubilee party is a registered political party, in the premises, the respondent is subject to the Electoral Code of Conduct,” said Chebukati.
However, Sabina’s lawyers led by Senator James Orengo, Otiende Amollo and Martin Oloo claimed that the electoral code of conduct does not apply to politicians until the official campaign period.
Orengo says IEBC is sabotaging itself by purporting to put Sabina on trial.
“This is something that was determined by the Supreme court, the ruling was clear, and so you are putting yourself on trial once again, not by our invitation, but by your own invitation.
We raised five grounds as to why this matter should not proceed before the committee but they focused on one ground to make the decision saying they have jurisdiction. The utterances made by Sabina Chege don’t amount to the accusations made by the electoral commission,” said Orengo.
Speaking during an Azimio la Umoja rally in Vihiga County last week, Sabina claimed that the 2017 election results were tampered with and that the same could happen in August this year.
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