Presidential hopeful and gospel singer Reuben Kigame got a relief on Monday after the High Court ordered IEBC to consider his papers afresh.
Kigame moved to court after the electoral agency declined to clear him to run for president, saying he did not meet the requirements.
Justice Antony Mrima ruled that IEBC discriminated against Kigame by locking him out of the presidential election.
Judge Mrima ruled Kigame should be allowed to present his papers and signatures he collected to IEBC for verification.
However, the court declined to order IEBC to include Kigame’s name on the ballot, saying that would be overstepping its mandate because that is the role of IEBC.
IEBC lawyer Moses Kipkogei told the court that it's impossible to comply with the court order because IEBC has already printed ballot papers for presidential candidates.
In his petition to the court, Kigame accused the state of using agencies like IEBC to silence citizens who are stepping up to change the status quo.
He claimed the commission had not extended the means to integrate him as a presidential aspirant.
Kigame said he had been subjected to a vigorous process without due regard to his inability to see and read.
He further accused IEBC of not developing any regulations to accommodate persons living with disability such as Braille or any other form of communication.
He argued that the process was massive and that he had to travel in very many counties to collect signatures and ID copies in the period provided, despite his disability.
Kigame told the court notwithstanding the challenges, he worked hard and met all requirements set for the presidential aspirant’s checklist.
But IEBC had barred him from presenting the said booklets that had not only cost him time, but also a lot of resources.
Kigame, who wanted the court to order IEBC to include his name in the ballot claimed that the commission had not given him access to materials and devices to overcome constraints arising from his disability as required by the constitution.
(Edited by Tabnacha O)
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