Pre-Trial Conferences For Election Petitions In Coast Region

By Tobby Otum

High Court Judge court Francis Gikonyo will conduct pretrial conferences for two election petitions on Friday at the Mombasa law courts.

First in the list are two voters challenging the election of Kwale governor Fatuma Achani who has succeeded her former boss Salim Mvurya after the August 9 general election.

Dziwe Zuma and Suleiman Mwanguku through Wanyonge Wanyama counsel associates have filed a notice of motion challenging Achani’s election as Kwale governor,

Through a sworn affidavit both petitioners have listed the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) as the first respondent and Kwale county returning officer as the second respondent with Achani being the third respondent seeking the nullification of the election of Achani as governor.

The voters argued the gubernatorial election lacked merit.

In Mombasa county, the election petition against the re-election of Nyali legislator Mohamed Ali alias Jicho Pevu will also come for a pretrial hearing before the same judge.

Jubilee Party loser in the Nyali parliamentary race in the August 9 general election, Yassir Noor, through his two counsel David Masike and Yusuf Abubakari filed the petition at the Mombasa law courts arguing that Jicho Pevu was not duly elected to represent the constituency for the next five years.

The petitioner is seeking scrutiny, audit and a recount of votes in all polling stations in Nyali constituency during the August polls.

The JP candidate wants the court to issue a declaration that election offences of a criminal nature occurred in the constituency during the polling day which warrant charges against the IEBC.

Yassir wants the court to use its discretion to order for a by election in the constituency due to election malpractices in the August 9 polls.