Siaya Senator and NASA leader James Orengo has said the constitutional order in the country is being overturned and that the authority of independent institutions is being undermined after the Supreme Court couldn’t raise a quorum to hear the case seeking the postponement of the repeat poll. Addressing the press within the precincts of the Supreme Court after the announcement by Chief Justice David Maraga, Orengo said IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati has been bypassed, “It begins with the electoral commission itself, if you look at proceedings before the court, affidavits have been signed by a supposed vice chair of the commission. The chairman of the Commission hasn’t filed any affidavit or anything in support or against proceedings this morning,” said Orengo. He said that this is a clear indication the electoral commission is operating without the input of its chairman Chebukati.
He further said that the fact that the Supreme Court couldn’t raise a quorum to hear the case on Wednesday, coupled with the announcement that Wednesday would be a national holiday, are evidence that the case was being targeted. “The gazettement of 25th October as a holiday was part of the design to make sure the proceedings will not take place but when the CJ said proceedings will continue anyway there was an attempt on the life of the Deputy Chief Justice, and the events must’ve traumatized her,” he said.
However, he said the returning officers appointed by IEBC are incompetent after the High Court ruled on Wednesday morning that they were not appointed legally by IEBC, “The High Court has given a ruling that the appointment of all returning officers and deputy returning officers in all constitutions was illegal and as we speak now there are no legally competent persons to preside over elections in the 291 constituencies,” he reiterated.