The parliamentary contest in Oljorok Constituency hangs in the balance following a suit by a contestant to suspend the exercise until his rights are addressed.

George Oljoroorok, an independent aspirant whose clearance was declined, is asking the High Court to stop the area election until Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) clears him.

In the petition, Oljoroorok informed the judge that Oljorok Constituency IEBC Returning Officer Julius Maingi refused to comply with the IEBC Dispute Resolution Tribunal ruling of June 17, 2022, to clear him within the mandated 48 hours.

“The Returning Officer refused to clear the applicant to run for the seat of Member of Parliament for Oljorok Constituency, hence the decision to file a suit at the High Court to compel IEBC to clear me.

“The applicant sees a deliberate attempt to stop his parliamentary aspirations by failing to clear him to vie for the seat in the coming general election,” he stated in the court papers.

IEBC fails to clear Oljorok

According to the court papers, the Returning Officer failed to clear Oljoroorok within 48 hours as directed by the IEBC Dispute Resolution Committee last month on allegations that the committee gave timelines of 72 hours.

However, the IEBC through J.M. Mwangi & Co. Advocates vehemently opposed the request by the petitioner on grounds that if the same is allowed, it will be detrimental to the Oljorok parliamentary elections which ultimately may be postponed indefinitely or until a time the IEBC commissioners will announce.

The Oljorok Parliamentary seat has attracted five other candidates namely the current MP, Michael Muchira (UDA), Andrew Mungai (Jubilee), Charles Gichuki, (independent), Simon Maina (TSP), and Patrick Irungu (Independent).