The Supreme Court is on Friday expected to rule on a petition challenging the election of Ndiritu Muriithi as Laikipia governor in the August 8, 2017, General Election.
Nanyuki businessman Sammy Ndung’u moved to the highest court after the Court of Appeal upheld Muriithi’s election in November 2017.
Former Governor Joshua Irungu tried to join the petition but the court said it was late.
Justices Asike Makhandia, Fatuma Sichale and Sankale ole Kantai, said the appeal by the petitioner lacked merit. It also slapped him with Sh12 million cost.
The judges had termed as “baseless” claims by Ndung’u that Muriithi should not have been cleared to contest, having switched camps days to the election.
They said the petitioner should have appealed against the decision or file a judicial review but not raise it in an election court.
The court capped the amount to pay to the governor, the IEBC and the returning officer to Sh1.5 million each.
Court cases have haunted Muriithi since the May 2017 Jubilee Party nominations, where he won in two out of the three constituencies but was denied the party ticket.
Despite the party’s tribunal upholding his win, Irungu moved to the Political Parties’ Disputes Tribunal which handed him the party ticket.
Muriithi’s deputy is John Mwaniki.
