The Supreme Court on Friday, January 18, declared Anwar Loitiptip as the validly elected senator for Lamu County.
The Court of Appeal in Mombasa had nullified his election in July 2018, after Loitiptip's closest rival, Hassan Albeity, who vied on a Wiper Democratic Movement party ticket filed the petition citing massive irregularities.
Judges Alnashir Visram, Wanjiru Karanja and Martha Koome said that there were irregularities in the conduct of the election and ordered the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to conduct a fresh election.
The judges overturned Malindi High Court's February 9, 2018 decision where Judge Asenath Ongeri upheld the senator's election and dismissed Albeity's petition citing failure to comply with court timelines and ordered each party to bear their petition costs.
However, Supreme Court judge Justice Njoki Ndng'u declared Loitiptip who was elected on a Jubilee party ticket, validly elected, dealing Albeity a major blow.
Flanked by his supporters, the lawmaker asked his rival to accept the ruling and work with him in improving the lives of Lamu residents.
"I want to tell Albeity to join hands with me and work for the people of Lamu," he told the pres outside the Supreme Court building after the ruling.
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