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candidates if the petitioner was a candidate at the impugned election but failed to challenge
the nomination of the successful candidate before the IEBC (Josiah Taraiya Kipelian Ole Kores
v Dr. David Ole Nkedianye & 3 Others, Nairobi Election Petition No. 6 of 2013). An election court
should also refuse to entertain a dispute on the nomination of candidates where the petitioner
has referred the dispute to the IEBC but failed to seek the review of the IEBC’s decision (Sammy
Ndung’u Waity v IEBC Sammy Ndung’u Waity v IEBC & 3 Others, Supreme Court Petition 33 of
2018; Silverse Lisamula Anami v IEBC & 2 Others, Supreme Court Petition 30 of 2018; Mohamed
Abdi Mahamud v Ahmed Abdullahi Mohamad & 3 Others; Ahmed Ali Muktar (Interested Party),
Supreme Court Petition 7 of 2018; and Jared Odoyo Okello v IEBC & 3 Others, Kisumu High Court
Election Petition No. 1 of 2013).
3.7.13
Where the IEBC refuses, neglects or otherwise fails to hear and determine a dispute relating
to nomination of candidates, or makes an unlawful determination of such a dispute, the
aggrieved party may invoke the supervisory jurisdiction of the High Court under Article 165 (6)
of the Constitution (Jared Odoyo Okello v IEBC & 3 Others, Kisumu High Court Election Petition
No. 1 of 2013). In Kituo Cha Sheria v John Ndirangu Kariuki & Another Nairobi High Court Election
Petition No. 8 of 2013, the Court held as follows:
If for example, by negligence or otherwise, a non-citizen was nominated for election and
elected, it would be perfectly be in order for the court to right the wrong. In Luka Lubwayo
and another v Gerald Otieno Kajwang and another Nairobi Petition 120 of 2013, the court
found that where IEBC had failed to exercise its mandate under statute, the High Court
could intervene. Article 105 1 (a) seems to widen the scope of the court in a petition to
determine whether a person has been validly elected as a member of [P]arliament. The
question of validity may encompass the clearance to run.
3.7.14 Where the IEBC rejects a candidate nominated by a political party for not being a registered
voter, or for a breach of electoral laws, the political party may substitute the candidate if it can
demonstrate that it was unaware of the candidate’s registration status or breach of electoral
laws (Diana Kethi Kilonzo & Another v IEBC & 10 Others, Nairobi High Court Constitutional Petition
No. 359 of 2013).
3.8
3.8.1
Political Campaigns
Electoral Code of Conduct
3.8.1.1 Candidates for elective offices must abide by the Electoral Code of Conduct in their political
campaigns (s 110, Elections Act, 2011). Players in the electoral process must give every candidate
a fair chance to canvass support by all legitimate and legal means (Wavinya Ndeti v IEBC & 4
Others, Nairobi High Court Petition No. 4 of 2013). Moreover, the electorate cannot be said to
have been given the chance to vote for a candidate of their choice, if the players engage in unfair
political campaigns (Jared Odoyo Okello v IEBC & 3 Others, Kisumu Election Petition No. 1 of 2013).
3.8.1.2 An unfair political campaign, e.g., one characterised by unfounded or malicious propaganda,
therefore, will result in the nullification of the affected election. In William Odhiambo Oduol v IEBC
& 2 Others, Kisumu Election Petition No. 2 of 2013, the successful candidate’s campaign team
forged and superimposed the portrait of the presidential candidate of a rival political coalition
on the petitioner’s campaign posters. The Court made the following finding and nullified the
election:
To sum up, the ODM campaign machine ran a dirty campaign during the gubernatorial
BENCH BOOK ON ELECTORAL DISPUTE RESOLUTION