Jubilee will appeal poll tally ruling: Kiunjuri

Devolution Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri has hinted that the Jubilee Party will partner with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to file an appeal against Court of Appeal ruling on Friday, June 23 that presidential results announced at the constituency level are final, saying the decision is a recipe for poll chaos in the country.

Speaking in Turkana West in a three-day tour of supplying relief food to hunger-stricken families, the Devolution CS accused the Court of Appeal of being inconsiderate in their ruling and failing to assess the repercussions of not giving IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati the mandate to verify and correct presidential results.

“We as Jubilee will not accept the Court of Appeal ruling that presidential results as announced at the constituency level are final. It is as if the court wants to set this country on fire.  If county returning officers work under instructions from either Jubilee or NASA and announce different results, the IEBC will have no mandate to verify and alter them,” said CS Kiunjuri.

Jubilee’s gubernatorial candidate for Turkana County Senator John Munyes said that giving IEBC returning officers powers to announce constituency presidential results would lead to a bungled election.

During an interview with Citizen TV’S Anne Kiguta on May 17, Deputy President William Ruto said that Jubilee will be ready to abide by the Court of Appeal ruling on the presidential results tallying, with party Secretary General Rafael Tuju affirming  the DP’s claims.

BALLOT TENDER APPEAL

Mr Kiunjuri also accused the opposition, National Super Alliance (NASA), of a plot to sabotage the August 8th General Election and have resorted to issuing constant threats to the electoral body, including their appear to reverse the ballot papers printing tender awarded to Dubai-based firm Al-Ghurair Publishing Company.

NASA filed an appeal against the Ksh2.5 billion ballot papers and the case is set for inter-party hearing on next Tuesday after Jubilee Party, Third Way Alliance Party and the Attorney-General were enjoined in the case by the High Court.

On Friday, the Chief Justice David Maraga formed a three-judge bench, Justices John Mativo, Joel Ngugi and George Odunga to hear the case.