Gospel singer cum presidential candidate, Reuben Kigame has suffered a drawback after the Court of Appeal temporarily suspended his clearance for the presidential race on 21 Thursday 2022. The court has ordered the Electoral Agency to review Kigame’s academic papers and previously collected signatures. This decision was reached by a three-judge bench consisting of Justices Wanjiru Karanja, Francis Tuiyott and Hellen Omondi, who suspended the execution of Justice Anthony Mrima’s orders until Monday noon when they hear the appeal by Independent Electoral Commission (IEBC).
These judges issued the orders after Kigame’s lawyer Dr. John Khaminwa informed them the filled appeal papers had not reached his desk. Initially, Khaminwa had requested the court to adjourn the case in a bid to set a meeting between his client and Chebukati on Friday. “My client has been given an appointment by Wafula Chebukati at 11 o’clock, we can wait for an outcome,” Khaminwa said. Although IEBC lawyer Eric Gumbo said that he had served the senior advocate, the court directed that he re-serves him before the close of business to allow Kigame to reply before Sunday.
Gumbo also added that there was no nexus between the meeting and the appeal by the commission. “These proceedings are in relation to judgment and there is no reason whatsoever we should wait for the outcome of the meeting. With all due respect, Senior Council is seeking to derail the meeting,” he replied. On the other hand, IEBC argued that Mrima erred by ordering it to consider signatures collected by Kigame. According to IEBC, the judge created a special category to consider a candidate that does exist in law.
More to follow…