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The United Green Movement (UGM) party has threatened to go to court to oppose any attempts to postpone next year’s General Election.

 Addressing the press yesterday, the officials urged the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to prepare for the election, failure to which they would be held responsible for any conflicts that would emerge if the elections are not held as scheduled.

“We are telling IEBC to postpone elections at their own peril. We have been preparing our legal team and if they try that, we will have no option but go to court,” said UGM national campaign spokesperson Sialo Tasur.

Party leader Agostino Neto castigated the recent ruling by the Africa Court on Human and People’s Rights saying which ruled that governments were justified to postpone elections because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The rest of the world is managing Covid-19 through mass vaccinations, but the judges of the African court are twiddling their fingers and wringing their hands in despair,” he said.

Recently, the Anglican church of Kenya (ACK) also warned against postponing next year’s elections.

Archbishop Jackson Sapit said that the 2022 General Election has to be conducted on the date stipulated in the Constitution.

Atwoli call

 “The country cannot afford another disruption after Covid-19 and locust invasions, especially with the 2022 election just around the corner,” said Sapit. 

Deputy President William Ruto and Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi have also opposed suggestions to postpone the elections scheduled for August next year.

Mudavadi said 2010 Constitution was the sole authority in deciding electoral matters.

“The Supreme law of this country is the Constitution. That is the law. If there are any other treaties or external agreements they have to be domesticated in the context of Kenya’s Constitution.

You cannot have a treaty or advisory from outside that can override the supreme law of the country.

The Kenya Constitution comes first and we have to follow the timetable of the Constitution of Kenya,” Mudavadi said.

Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli has been vocal in calling for the postponement of the elections.