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.”
