Jubilee Party leaders Deputy President William Ruto and President Uhuru Kenyatta during a past Jubilee party rally at Tononoka grounds, Mombasa. [Photo: The Star]
The Jubilee Party has faulted Friday’s High Court ruling that nullified the presidential ballot papers printing tender awarded to a Dubai-based firm, Al Ghurair Printing and Publishing Company.
JP Vice Chairman David Murathe cast shadows of doubt on the National Super Alliance’s (NASA) win at the High Court saying that the courts are in bed with the opposition.
Murathe was quoted by a local daily saying the ruling will put the election process on trial adding that the opposition's 'intention' to have the August 8 polls postponed will not prevail.
“This ruling will open floodgates for post-election petitions and bring the whole process into question. The import of the ruling was not just about the presidential ballot papers, the whole process of election is in jeopardy. It cannot be that the public participation was the only thing found lacking in awarding the tender," said Murathe as quoted by the Daily Nation on Saturday.
The JP official added: “In effect, the ruling nullifies the other five ballot papers as well and other election material already purchased. If they think they will gang up to delay the polls, that will not happen. The election will go on as planned."
In its ruling, the judges hearing a judicial review filed by NASA found that the IEBC failed to conduct adequate public participation, a move that goes against constitutional requirements.
The three-judge bench found that public participation in the direct procurement process was necessary for free, fair, credible and transparent elections.
The electoral body chairman Wafula Chebukati has since instructed their lawyers to appeal the ruling.