The electoral commission has requested its legal department to study the Supreme Court ruling that found Bungoma Senator Moses Wetang’ula guilty of bribing voters in the 2013 General Election and advise accordingly.
Sources within the commission confirmed that the legal department had been asked to come up with a conclusive advisory on the way forward before the commission decides on the matter. It was understood that Wetangula’s issue is among the top agenda for IEBC commissioners when they meet on Thursday during their weekly meetings.
This week’s meeting comes after last week’s was postponed following an agreement to shelve the issue to allow commissioners who had travelled to observe the Tanzanian elections to jet back. “It is likely that this matter will come up as it is among the agenda that has been lined up for consideration.
In the meantime, the legal department has been asked to study the Supreme Court ruling and advise the commission,” said a source. Speaking to the People Daily on condition of anonymity, a top IEBC official said the commission is careful not to make blunders on the matter especially now that it has raised political temperatures.
According to the source, IEBC is keen to ensure it gets the best advice including one from other independent legal officers once the internal department gives its advice on the matter. “The internal legal department is currently looking at the matter and once this is done, the commission may seek advise from another team of legal experts,” the source added.
The decision of the commission comes after last month Senate Speaker Ekwee Ethuro gazetted the ruling that Wetang’ula committed an election offence of bribery during the 2013 elections.
Ethuro was first required to gazette the court’s report before IEBC takes up the matter for review and makes recommendations for any further action.
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