Group’s bid to join Uhuru case rejected

[Kabaridi]

A judge on Monday rejected
applications by two individuals
and a lobby group to join a case
questioning the integrity of
presidential hopefuls Uhuru
Kenyatta and William Ruto.
The court had last week asked
individuals and parties interested
in the case to make formal
applications to join the petition
filed by the International Centre
for Peace and Conflict (ICPC).
(Read: Uhuru and Ruto face new
integrity hurdle )
High Court judge David Majanja
rejected three applications but
allowed the National Alliance
Party to join the case.
The judge said he allowed TNA
into the proceedings because its
presidential candidate, Mr
Kenyatta, was one of the
respondents.
Ms Moraa Gesicho and Mr John
Mbugua, whose applications were
rejected, had told the court that
they wanted to join the case
because they were affected by the
post-election violence.
Ms Gesicho added that she has
been communicating with the
International Criminal Court (ICC)
where Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto
are indicted over the post-election
violence.
The judge said Ms Gesicho had not
stated in her affidavit the specific
interests she had in the case. He
argued her involvement would
also prolong the case
unnecessarily.
The judge also directed ICPC
lawyer Suyinka Lempaa to serve
Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto with the
petition and appear before him on
Friday for directions.
The ICPC wants the court to
declare Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto
unfit to contest the presidency or
deputy presidency due to their
cases at the ICC.
The lobby also wants the electoral
commission barred from
accepting the candidature of any
individual seeking public office if
such a person is subject to a
criminal case whose sentence is at
least six months.

www.nation.co.ke/News/politics/Bid-to-join-Uhuru-case-rejected/-/1064/1641350/-/gbojsez/-/index.html