The Independent Electoral Boundaries Commission has appealed against a High Court order that required the commission to consider independent presidential aspirant Reuben Kigame’s papers.
In a statement on Wednesday, the electoral body stated that the ruling by the court presented a lot of legal and practical challenges.
On legal challenges, the Wafula Chebukati-led commission said that the constitution provides that a presidential candidate should present at least 2,000 signatures from registered voters in at least 24 counties.
IEBC said that Kigame had only presented a list of 1,013 signatures as at the deadline for the submission on May 25.
“Article 37 of the Constitution requires a candidate or a presidential election to be nominated by not fewer than two thousand voters from each of a majority of the counties. The requirement to be nominated by at least 48,000 supporters is thus a constitutional requirement whose non-compliance renders the nomination papers invalid,” read the statement signed by Chebukati.
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IEBC further said that the constitution provides timelines to conduct a presidential election and a move to clear Kigame will jeopardize the timelines.
“The range of steps and processes required to give effect to the judgement may severely jeopardize the holding of presidential elections on August 9th, being only 19 days from today,” Chebukati added.
He stated a number of challenges, among them fresh gazettement of presidential candidates, reprogramming of the Result Transmission System, reprogramming of KIEM kits in all 47 counties and redesigning of ballot papers to include Kigame's name among others.
Chebukati said that the cost of printing new ballot papers is approximately Ksh971 million and the amount was not in the commission's budget.
He said that the process could take a minimum of 30 days, and the August election is 19 days away.
The case will be heard on Thursday, July 21.
