Kenyan court examines removal of live presidential results broadcasts
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Capital FM
Kenya’s High Court is urgently considering a petition challenging the alleged removal of the requirement to broadcast presidential election results live. Parties must file their responses within seven days before a follow-up hearing scheduled for 2 November, according to Capital FM.
Kenya’s High Court has declared urgent a petition challenging amendments to electoral law that may have removed the requirement to broadcast presidential election results live, Capital FM reported on Friday. Judge David Mburu ordered that lawyer John Muremi Njomo’s petition be served on the respondents within two days.
The respondents and interested parties will then have seven days to file their responses. The case will be considered on 2 November to check that the deadlines have been met and set the next steps in the proceedings, according to the High Court’s directions.
National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah rejects the allegation that live broadcasts have been removed. He says section 39(1G) of the Elections Act still requires the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to establish a mechanism for transmitting results announced at polling stations.
The proceedings follow reports on 23 October about the alleged removal of live broadcasts of election results and the transmission of presidential results within two hours. Both measures are among the provisions challenged or debated in the electoral reform bill arising from recommendations by the National Dialogue Committee, set up after the political tensions that followed the 2022 general election.
