Kibra race: ODM wins against IEBC in court

The High Court has ordered the electoral board, IEBC, to furnish ODM with Kibra Constituency voters’ register before the by-election penciled in for Thursday November 7.

Justice James Makau said the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) violated ODM’s rights by denying the outfit access to the updated voters’ register.

The Commission was sued by ODM, who told the courts that IEBC literally refused to release to them or publish details of the new number of registered voters in Kibra.

In a suit filed at the High Court last Monday, ODM said it had written several letters to IEBC, seeking to be granted access to the voters’ register, but the agency did not heed their request.

IEBC asked the court to allow them seven days to furnish ODM with the information, but the judge declined to grant the respondents their request.

IEBC argued it was impossible to supply the register, given “there is a short time left before the November 7 by-election”.

On October 25, IEBC announced -- through a Gazette Notice -- that there are 118,658 registered voters in Kibra.

The Notice indicated that the revision of the voters' register had been completed following a verification exercise.

It also showed that Laini Saba has 17,455 voters, Lindi 16,688, Makina 25,695, Woodley/ Kenyatta Golf Course 28,066 and Sarangombe 30,754.