High Court orders IEBC to gazette Talib as Wiper nominated MP

Abubakar Ahmed Twalib has been gazetted by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission(IEBC) Chairman Wafula Chebukati as a Nominated Member of National Assembly following an order by the High Court

Twalib’s gazettement as the Wiper Democratic Movement nominee comes after Chebukati gazetted 11 other names of Nominated MPs paving way for them to be sworn in together with their 337 elected colleagues last Thursday.

The Wiper party was not allocated its share of one Nominated MP slot due to an interim court order restraining the commission from allocating the seat despite the party having listed Lucas Mulinge Wambua first in a revised list submitted to IEBC.

Twalib moved to the High Court after the Political Parties Dispute Tribunal dismissed his complaint in which he had challenged a decision by the party to revise the National Assembly Nomination List on July 22 omitting his name as the first nominee.

“I pray that the High Court declares the party list submitted by Wiper Democratic Movement National Election Board Chairman and received by IEBC on July 21 bearing my name as nominee for the National Assembly post in the August General Election be declared valid and legal,” Twalib told the court.

Justice Joseph Sergon seating in Nairobi ordered IEBC to publish in the Kenya Gazette the National Assembly party list for Wiper as submitted and received on July 21 and cancel any other published gazette notice omitting the name of Twalib.

In the case before the High Court Twalib had listed the Wiper Secretary General, Wiper National Election Board Chairman, Wiper, Mr Wambua and IEBC as the first, second, third, fourth and fifth respondents respectively.

Nominated Members of National Assembly include; John Mbadi (ODM), Sabina Chege(Jubilee), Bishop Jackson Kosgei (UDA), Teresia Mwangi (UDA), Abdisirat Ali (UDA), Dorothy Ikiara (UDA), Joseph Iraya (UDA), Irene Mayaka(ODM), Umulkher Mohammed (ODM), Joseph Denar (ANC) and Suleka Harun(UDM).

The new development paves way for Twalib to be sworn in as Nominated MP by National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula.