HUGE BLOW TO DP RUTO AFTER LOSING A CASE AGAINST AZIMIO

Deputy President William Ruto and his allies have suffered another blow after the High Court threw out a petition seeking to stop the operationalization of the Political Parties Amendment Act 2022.
In the Wednesday, April 20, ruling, the High Court argued that there was enough public participation contrary to claims by the petitioners.

The petitioners – Salesio Mutua and other civil groups – wanted Justices Hedwig Ongudi, Esther Maina and Daniel Ogembo of the Constitutional Division of the High Court to suspend the Act until after the election.

The Act paved way for the formation of the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party, a political party that was formed without dissolving the affiliate parties.
The petitioners had told the court that President Uhuru Kenyatta erred by signing the Act into law despite the Bill not going through public participation.

“We find that the public participation that took place before the enactment of the amendment was consultative, meaningful, and reasonable. Therefore, the amendments cannot be nullified on this ground,” the Court determined.

Additionally, the judges asked for patience from members of the public before the full judgment document is released as they stated that there were some typing errors.

Azimio, led by former Prime Minister Raila Odinga was gazetted on April 14, even as President Uhuru Kenyatta was named as the chairperson of the coalition council.

The discussion of the Bill in parliament was marred with chaos in December 2021, as pro handshake Members of Parliament clashed with their counterparts from Ruto’s camp .
The Bill was finally passed on January 5, even as Ruto allied revealed that they would move to the corridors of justice to stop the implementation of the Bill.

“We want to tell our colleagues that the issue of giving the Registrar of Political Parties powers in the nomination of political parties cannot be allowed.

“We will battle it out in parliament and if they force their way in parliament, we shall move to court,” Endebess MP, Robert Pukose stated then.

Sourced from Kenyans