Kethi sues IEBC over voter listing files

THE SAGA CONTINUES

http://www.nation.co.ke/News/politics/Kethi-sues-IEBC/-/1064/1938336/-/e8ybo6z/-/index.html

Lawyer Kethi Kilonzo wants the electoral commission compelled to supply her with documents it used against her during proceedings regarding her voter registration status.

Ms Kilonzo, who is under investigation in relation to her voter registration status, filed the application at the High Court on Monday under Article 35 of the Constitution which secures the right to access information.

Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) lawyers, however, told the court that the commission was willing to give her documents that were in its custody as others had been handed to police.

Correspondence between Ms Kilonzo and the commission indicate that she wants a certified copy of the voter registration acknowledgement slip of retired President Mwai Kibaki.

She also wants a certified copy of the booklet of acknowledgement slips produced by the IEBC during the proceedings, a statement on oath detailing all those who handled the booklet and the date and report of its alleged theft.

During the proceedings, which were conducted by the IEBC tribunal, the commission claimed that a registration slip that she had presented as evidence of her registration had been stolen from a booklet that was used to register only the retired President.

Ms Kilonzo also wants a copy of the register of voters (with biometric details of voters) of the NCC Social Hall polling station. That is where she claimed she had registered as a voter.

Tribunal reports

She also wants the commission to supply her with a copy of the poll diary for the polling station, a certified copy of the distribution list of all the acknowledgement slip booklets and all the reports referred to and produced by witnesses during the tribunal proceedings, among others.

In the suit filed under a certificate of urgency, she claims that the IEBC had made serious allegations of criminal nature against her, causing the CID to investigate her.

The commission has already used, to her detriment, the information she is seeking and there is no reason for denying her, she argues.

“The information sought is essential for the preparation and lodging an appeal to the Court of Appeal against a decision of the High Court,” she adds. Last Thursday, she filed a notice of the intended appeal.