• Dennis Gakuu Wahome, Evans Katia, Alex Abare Musalia and Timothy Ayieko are the complainants in the matter.
• In a replying affidavit, Sakaja says he is not the Sakaja Koskei Johnson cited in the complaints presented before the IEBC Dispute Resolution Committee.
Image: TWITTER/ JONHSON SAKAJA
Nairobi governor UDA candidate Johnson Sakaja has termed the claims that he did not graduate from Team University as wild, factually hollow and unfounded.
In an affidavit, the Nairobi senator claimed the complainants left out a page showing his name on the graduation list of the university, which is located in Uganda.
"For nefarious goals, the complainants have fraudulently omitted relevant pages of the graduation booklet that bear my graduation credentials," Sakaja said.
"The personalized vendetta and smear campaign against me by the Complainants is unworthy of response, save to point out that the same is absolutely reckless and in absolute abuse of legal process," he added.
Sakaja dismissed as fatally defective complaints challenging his nomination and clearance to contest.
Dennis Gakuu Wahome, Evans Katia, Alex Abare Musalia and Timothy Ayieko are the complainants in the petition.
In a replying affidavit, Sakaja says he is not the Sakaja Koskei Johnson cited in the complaints presented before the IEBC Dispute Resolution Committee.
"The person cited as the 1st Respondent in Complaint No. 230 of 2022, one “SAKAJA KOSKEI JOHNSON” is a complete stranger to the election for the position of Governor, Nairobi City County," Sakaja said.
Four consolidated complaints have been lodged at the IEBC seeking to bar Sakaja from participating in the August 9 polls.
The complainants argue that Sakaja's degree is not genuine as he never graduated from the Team University in Uganda as he claims.
But Sakaja has rubbished the claims in his sworn affidavit on several grounds including that the complaints were filed outside the legal time frame.
Sakaja was cleared on June 7, 2022, by the IEBC and the complaints against him were filed on June 9, 2022.
The Nairobi senator claims the complaints were time-barred on the strengthen of Rule 8 of the Rules of Procedure on Settlement of Disputes.
He said Rule 8 (1) states that a party to a dispute should file his complaint within 24 hours in writing.
"Hence, the complaints herein are legally incompetent, fatally defective and procedurally untenable having been lodged outside the prescribed statutory timelines," Sakaja said.
"The twenty-four window provided for under Rule 8 (1) of the Rules of Procedure on Settlement of Disputes [L.N 139/2012] irredeemably lapsed on 8th June," he said.
He also said the IEBC dispute tribunal committee lacks jurisdiction to hear the matter.
Further, Sakaja clarified in his replying affidavit that his Bachelor of Science in Management degree from the Team University in Uganda is genuine.
He said contrary to the claims by the complainants, Team University is duly recognized in Uganda and Kenya.
"My qualifications and academic credentials are not in doubt having been affirmed through a lawful process," Sakaja said.