Mombasa Women Representative Asha Mohammed receiving her certificate from Mombasa County Returning Officer Wanjiku Kariuki on Saturday, August 12, 2017. [Photo: Hassan Joho/ facebook.com]
Mombasa County Women Representative Asha Mohammed has been handed reprieve after a court dismissed an election petition seeking to nullify her win in the August 8 general election.Saad Yusuf Saad, a registered voter, went to court seeking to have the outcome of the election annulled on grounds that the exercise was marred by different illegalities and irregularities.The petitioner argued that Asha’s win did not reflect the will of the people of Mombasa.Saad also accused the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and Mombasa County returning officer Nancy Kariuki of failing to conduct an election as per the constitution of the country. In her ruling, Lady Justice Thande Mugure, however, dismissed the petition, citing the failure of the case to comply with rule 8(1) (a) (c) of the election petition rule. The three respondents were awarded costs following the dismissal of the petition.“Given that the petition has been concluded at the interlocutory stage, I cap the aggregate costs at Sh3miilion,” said Thande, as quoted by Baraka FM.Asha, who garnered 186,144 votes, had requested the court to quash the election petition and award the costs to the respondents.