In a landmark ruling, Hon. Janet Muli has delivered a decisive judgment in the appeal case involving Dr. Augustus Muli and Dr. Koki Muli. The case, which pitted the two contenders against each other over the contested Minority representative slot in the IEBC Selection Panel, has ended with the court ordering fresh elections to be held within 48 hours.
The dispute arose after the Azimio la Umoja Coalition cleared both Dr. Augustus Muli and Dr. Koki Muli to vie for the same position, creating confusion and legal tension. In her ruling, Justice Janet Muli faulted the Azimio Coalition for its role in the controversy, placing the blame squarely on the alliance for failing to manage the nomination process appropriately.
The court found that Azimio’s actions left Dr. Augustus Muli with legal expectations that his name would be submitted to Parliament if he won the race. Azimio’s argument, that Dr. Augustus Muli was not affiliated with a parliamentary party, was deemed irrelevant, as it was not his fault.
Furthermore, the court emphasized that Parliament had failed to regulate the 2/3 gender rule, allowing the matter to proceed through a competitive process. The court awarded Dr. Augustus Muli the costs of the consolidated legal cases, ordering Azimio to foot the bill.
Final orders issued by the court require fresh elections for the Minority parties to be held in strict compliance with legal standards, and the process must be completed by 3 p.m. on October 24, 2024. This ruling underscores the need for political parties to strictly adhere to electoral and nomination regulations to avoid future disputes.
Stay tuned for further updates on this developing story.
