[2018] KEHC 8681 (KLR)

[2018] KEHC 8681 (KLR)

The court held that for scrutiny and recount to be ordered in an election petition, the applicant must demonstrate a sufficient basis, and the request must be specific to the polling stations where results are disputed and pleaded in the petition. The petitioners listed 57 stations in their application, but only 15...

Source-derived case information.

Citation
[2018] KEHC 8681 (KLR)
Parties
Applicant: Oscar Omoke Ocholla; Applicant: Kariuki Kavore; Applicant: Odera Daniel Tresvant; Applicant: Hillary Okumu Mulilia; Applicant: Kiragu Margery Nduta; Respondent: Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission; Respondent: Martin Simotwo; Respondent: Nixon Kiprotich Generali Korir
Court
High Court
Court Station
High Court at Nairobi (Milimani Commercial Courts)
Jurisdiction
Kenya
Case Number
Election Petition 20 of 2017
Procedural Posture
Election Petition / Ruling on Interlocutory Application for Scrutiny, Recount, and Related Orders
Outcome
Application partly allowed.
Judges
LM Njuguna
Legal Topics
Scrutiny of Votes, Recount of Votes, Pleadings and Particularity, Burden of Proof in Election Petitions, Use of Electronic Evidence, Scope of Election Disputes
Source Language
en
Election Petitions Constitutional Law Civil Procedure Scrutiny of Votes Recount of Votes Pleadings and Particularity Burden of Proof in Election Petitions Use of Electronic Evidence +1 more

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Parties

Oscar Omoke Ocholla

Applicant

Kariuki Kavore

Applicant

Odera Daniel Tresvant

Applicant

Hillary Okumu Mulilia

Applicant

Kiragu Margery Nduta

Applicant

Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission

Respondent

Martin Simotwo

Respondent

Nixon Kiprotich Generali Korir

Respondent

Procedural Posture

Election Petition / Ruling on Interlocutory Application for Scrutiny, Recount, and Related Orders

  1. 1 Whether the petitioners have established sufficient basis for an order of recount, scrutiny, and re-tallying of votes in the disputed polling stations.
  2. 2 Whether the application for scrutiny and recount meets the legal requirements of specificity and particularity as to the polling stations in dispute.
  3. 3 Whether the court should grant access to electronic election materials and allow expert evidence as sought by the petitioners.

Ratio Decidendi

The court held that for scrutiny and recount to be ordered in an election petition, the applicant must demonstrate a sufficient basis, and the request must be specific to the polling stations where results are disputed and pleaded in the petition. The petitioners listed 57 stations in their application, but only 15 were pleaded in the petition. The court found that scrutiny and recount cannot be granted for stations not pleaded, as this would expand the scope of the petition contrary to established legal principles. The court also found that the application for scrutiny of all original Forms 35A was too general and lacked the required specificity. Upon examining the evidence, the court...

Court Disposition

Application partly allowed.

Orders

  • Prayer 1 for preservation of election materials is allowed.
  • Prayers 2A and 4(ii)-(iii) for general scrutiny and re-tally are disallowed for lack of specificity.