179
30 of 2018). Per Odek JA (as he then was) in Mohamed Ali Sheikh v Abdiwahab Sheikh & 4 Others;
Emmanuel Changawa Kombe (Interested Party), Election Appeal (Application) No. 261 of 2018:
64. In furtherance of their submission, the respondents urged the position that this Court has
no jurisdiction to entertain second appeals concerning MCA election petitions impede, negate
and contradict the automatic right of appeal to the Supreme Court under Article 163 (4) (a) of
the Constitution on questions involving application and interpretation of the Constitution. It is
settled law with regard to election matters that not every election petition-decision by the Court
of Appeal is appealable to the Supreme Court – only those appeals arising from the decision of
the Court of Appeal in which questions of constitutional interpretation or application were at
play lie to the Supreme Court. This was stated by the Supreme Court in Lawrence Nduttu &
6000 others vs. Kenya Breweries Ltd & Another, S.C. Petition No. 3 of 2012; [2012] eKLR as
follows:
“…the appeal must originate from a court of appeal case where issues of contestation
revolved around the interpretation or application of the Constitution. In other words, an
appellant must be challenging the interpretation or application of the Constitution which the
Court of Appeal used to dispose of the matter in that forum. Such a party must be faulting the
Court of Appeal on the basis of such interpretation. Where the case to be appealed from had
nothing or little to do with the interpretation of the Constitution, it cannot support a further
appeal to the Supreme Court under the provisions of Article 163 (4) (a).”
65. At a de facto and de jure level, both the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court have in the
recent past heard and determined election petition appeals concerning membership to County
Assembly. Notable cases where the Supreme Court has considered membership to County
Assembly appeals include the judgment in Independent Electoral & Boundaries Commission
vs. Jane Cheperenger & 2 others [2018] eKLR; Moses Mwicigi & 14 others vs. Independent
Electoral and Boundaries Commission & 5 others [2016] eKLR and Jennifer Koinante Kitarpei
vs. Alice Wahito Ndegwa & another [2015] eKLR. It is noteworthy that in all these cases the
superior court in the first instance was moved by way of judicial review and not an election
petition. Except in the pending case of Hamida Yaroi Sheikh Nuri vs. Faith Tumaini Kombe &
2 others [2018] eKLR there is presently no other MCA election petition appeal heard by the
Supreme Court.
66. It begs the question if the Court of Appeal has no jurisdiction to entertain MCA second
appeals, it would be creating legal confusion to hold the above cited cases were heard and
determined by both the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court without jurisdiction and are per
incuriam. This cannot be so. It can be argued that the foregoing cases that were heard and
determined by this Court and the Supreme Court were initiated through a judicial review process
and as such, both courts had jurisdiction. This may be so. However, doctrinal consistency and
electoral jurisdictional certainty should not encompass and entertain a two way approach to
appellate dispute resolution namely: that if you follow the judicial review route, this Court and
the Supreme Court have jurisdiction to hear and determine a second or third appeal respectively;
that if you follow the election petition appeal route, there is no second or third appeal. This is
the duality and dichotomy of legal penumbra that is not doctrinally consistent. Such duality in
jurisdictional approach should not be tenable in law. It is for this reason that the Supreme
Court or legislative intervention is required to settle the jurisdictional question on the right to
second or third appeals concerning MCA election petitions.
6.3.3.0 The Supreme Court, being seized of an application to stay the orders of the Court of Appeal in
Mohamed Ali Sheikh v Abdiwahab Sheikh Osman Hathe & 3 Others, Election Appeal Application No
38 of 2018, declined to grant the orders of stay, but did not address the question of jurisdiction
of the Court of Appeal in second appeals on MCA petitions. In the words of the Court:
[15] In the above context and on considering the matter, we have difficulties in granting the
Applicant’s prayer for stay against the Ruling of the Court of Appeal. We say so because, even
if the appeal may be arguable, which we do not dispute, staying the Court of Appeal’s Ruling is
unnecessary and would serve no purpose as there is no subject matter which is required to be
preserved. The Court of Appeal only struck out the Notice and Record of Appeal without more.
BENCH BOOK ON ELECTORAL DISPUTE RESOLUTION
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