Embattled Mombasa governorship aspirant Mike Sonko will know if his name will be on the ballot paper by Tuesday July 19 when the electoral commission will give its position on the matter.
Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairman, Mr Wafula Chebukati, said his team will make the decision following the move by the Supreme Court to uphold Mr Sonko’s impeachment.
Speaking at Epang’a in Luanda, Vihiga County, on Saturday July 16, Mr Chebukati said the electoral agency is yet to look at the judgement that was delivered on Friday evening.
He addressed journalists after attending the burial ceremony of Twyla Rose, 94, his mother-in-law.
He said his team will hold a sitting to deliberate on the issues that were conversed in court before the Commission can decide the fate of Mr Sonko.
“We [IEBC] are yet to look at the ruling by the Supreme Court. We will discuss with my team as a Commission,” Mr Chebukati said.
“We will look at the issues and the judgement and get back to the country on Monday or Tuesday.”
The former Nairobi Governor was cleared to contest for the coastal seat on Thursday after challenging move to exclude his name from ballot papers ahead of the August 9 General Election.
The decision by the apex court has dealt a blow to Mr Sonko’s political journey.
Mr Sonko was removed from the Nairobi City County office by way of impeachment by the county assembly and the decision upheld by the Senate.
He has since been battling his removal from office by seeking redress in the High Court, Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.
IEBC was on Wednesday July 13 ordered by the High Court to clear Mr Sonko after it established that the matter was still alive in the Supreme Court.
Commenting on the August polls, Mr Chebukati, noted that the electoral commission was generally ready to conduct the General Election whose campaigns have hit the home stretch.
He further asked politicians to conduct their campaigns within the electoral code of conduct and maintain peace ahead of the polls.
“As a Commission, we have prepared almost everything. All the non-strategic materials are in the counties,” he said.
“Ballot papers will be delivered to the regions during the first week of August. Some ballot papers have arrived in the country and are in our central warehouse. We are training the temporary staff.”
During the burial ceremony, his wife, Mrs Mary Chebukati, asked mourners to pray for the IEBC chairman’s family.
“My husband wants to follow the law and the country is in need of peace. In the last election [2017] our children were not happy but now they have strength. We see my husband more on the television than at home.”
In the recent past, politicians allied to Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition party presidential candidate Mr Raila Odinga have hit at Mr Chebukati accusing him of working with Bungoma Senator Mr Moses Wetang’ula in the printing of ballot papers.
Mr Wetang’ula is allied to Deputy President William Ruto-led Kenya Kwanza Alliance.
Mr Chebukati is also under pressure from the Azimio coalition to use both the manual and digital registers during the election. BY DAILY NATION