NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 31 – The Court of Appeal on Tuesday upheld the decision by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to declare the next General Election for March 4, 2013.
The decision was in a majority ruling of four-to-one after Justice Martha Koome differed, arguing that elections should be held by January 15, 2013 at the latest.
Justices Hannah Okwengu, Kalpana Rawal and David Maraga agreed with the majority decision read by Justice Erastus Githinji to have the polls held within 60 days upon the expiry of the term of the current Parliament, which ends on January 14, 2013.
The High Court had in January ruled that the first polls since a disputed vote in December 2007 should be held either within 60 days of the dissolution of the Grand Coalition government or within 60 days after the expiry of the term of the current Parliament.
The Centre for Rights Education and Awareness (CREAW) and the Caucus for Women’s Leadership appealed against the High Court ruling claiming that the judges misinterpreted the Constitution.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission had set the date of the elections for March 4, 2013 after the Principals failed to give any guidance.
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