[2017] KEHC 2025 (KLR)

[2017] KEHC 2025 (KLR)

The court held that while the applicants had identified specific polling stations with alleged irregularities, they failed to establish a sufficient basis for scrutiny of all 148 polling stations. The court found that scrutiny should be limited to the 12 polling stations specifically pleaded and any additional...

Source-derived case information.

Citation
[2017] KEHC 2025 (KLR)
Parties
Applicant: Mark Nkonana Supeyo; Applicant: Meshana Ole Simel; Respondent: Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission; Respondent: Kajiado West Constituency Returning Officer; Respondent: Sunkuyia George Risa
Court
High Court
Court Station
High Court at Kajiado
Jurisdiction
Kenya
Case Number
Election Petition 1 of 2017
Procedural Posture
Election Petition / Ruling on Application for Scrutiny and Supply of Election Materials
Outcome
Application for scrutiny allowed in part; scrutiny ordered only in specified polling stations and categories as detailed in the ruling; other prayers dismissed.
Legal Topics
Scrutiny of Votes, Election Materials Preservation, Burden of Proof in Election Petitions, Pleadings and Particularity, Judicial Discretion in Scrutiny, Evidence in Election Disputes
Source Language
en
Election Petitions Constitutional Law Scrutiny of Votes Election Materials Preservation Burden of Proof in Election Petitions Pleadings and Particularity Judicial Discretion in Scrutiny Evidence in Election Disputes

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Summary, issues, holding and outcome

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Parties

Mark Nkonana Supeyo

Applicant

Meshana Ole Simel

Applicant

Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission

Respondent

Kajiado West Constituency Returning Officer

Respondent

Sunkuyia George Risa

Respondent

Procedural Posture

Election Petition / Ruling on Application for Scrutiny and Supply of Election Materials

  1. 1 Whether the applicants established sufficient basis for an order of scrutiny of election materials in Kajiado West Constituency.
  2. 2 Whether scrutiny should be limited to specific polling stations or extended to all 148 polling stations.
  3. 3 Whether the applicants are entitled to the supply of unused forms 35A and other election materials.

Ratio Decidendi

The court held that while the applicants had identified specific polling stations with alleged irregularities, they failed to establish a sufficient basis for scrutiny of all 148 polling stations. The court found that scrutiny should be limited to the 12 polling stations specifically pleaded and any additional stations where evidence of tampering or irregularities was established, including those with missing or tampered ballot boxes and missing SD cards. The court emphasized that scrutiny is not to be used as a fishing expedition and must be grounded in clear pleadings and evidence. The court also held that the supply of unused forms 35A was not justified, as there was no inventory or...

Court Disposition

Application for scrutiny allowed in part; scrutiny ordered only in specified polling stations and categories as detailed in the ruling; other prayers dismissed.

Orders

  • Scrutiny to be conducted in the 12 disputed polling stations identified in the ruling.
  • Scrutiny to include ballot boxes with seals interfered with, unidentifiable ballot boxes, the empty ballot box, four missing boxes now found, and ballot boxes in respect of four missing SD cards.