[2008] KEHC 1108 (KLR)

[2008] KEHC 1108 (KLR)

The court found that the Petitioner did not personally serve the 2nd Respondent with the Election Petition as required by Section 20(1)(a) of the National Assembly and Presidential Elections Act. The Petitioner failed to demonstrate that he exercised due diligence in attempting personal service before resorting to...

Source-derived case information.

Citation
[2008] KEHC 1108 (KLR)
Parties
Applicant: Mose Nyambega; Respondent: Walter Enock Nyambati Osebe; Respondent: Lawrence T. Sempele; Respondent: Electoral Commission of Kenya
Court
High Court
Court Station
High Court at Kisii
Jurisdiction
Kenya
Case Number
Election Petition 4 of 2008
Procedural Posture
Election Petition / Ruling on Application to Strike Out Petition for Want of Service
Outcome
Petition struck out for want of service on the 2nd Respondent.
Judges
AI Tullu
Legal Topics
Service of Process, Due Diligence in Service, Alternative Service, Mandatory Statutory Requirements
Source Language
en
Election Petitions Civil Procedure Service of Process Due Diligence in Service Alternative Service Mandatory Statutory Requirements

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Summary, issues, holding and outcome

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Parties

Mose Nyambega

Applicant

Walter Enock Nyambati Osebe

Respondent

Lawrence T. Sempele

Respondent

Electoral Commission of Kenya

Respondent

Procedural Posture

Election Petition / Ruling on Application to Strike Out Petition for Want of Service

  1. 1 Whether the Petitioner served the 2nd Respondent with the Election Petition as required by law.
  2. 2 Whether the Petitioner exercised due diligence to effect personal service before resorting to alternative service.
  3. 3 Whether failure to serve the 2nd Respondent invalidates the Petition.

Ratio Decidendi

The court found that the Petitioner did not personally serve the 2nd Respondent with the Election Petition as required by Section 20(1)(a) of the National Assembly and Presidential Elections Act. The Petitioner failed to demonstrate that he exercised due diligence in attempting personal service before resorting to alternative service by newspaper advertisement. The court held that mere assertions of inability to trace the 2nd Respondent, without concrete steps or evidence of serious effort, did not meet the threshold of due diligence. The statutory requirement for personal service is mandatory and cannot be dispensed with by the conduct of the parties or by estoppel. As a result, the...

Court Disposition

Petition struck out for want of service on the 2nd Respondent.

Orders

  • The Petition dated 22nd January, 2008 is struck out.
  • There shall be no order as to costs in respect of the application due to inordinate delay and lack of candour by the Applicant.