Court nullifies Lamu Senator Anwar Loitiptip election

Lamu Senator Anwar Loitiptip during judgment by Court of Appeal. (Kelvin Karani, Standard)

 

Court of Appeal on Thursday nullified the election of Lamu Senator Anwar Loitiptip and ordered for a fresh poll.

The Appellate Court sitting in Mombasa directed the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to conduct another election citing malpractices in the poll.

In February, the High Court upheld Senator Loitiptip August 8 win saying he was validly elected.

The petitioner, Hassan Albeity, who vied on a Wiper Democratic Party ticket filed the case at the court of appeal after Lady Justice Asenath Ongeri ruled that Albeity failed to prove that the election was fraudulent.

High Court judge Ongeri ruled that the senator was elected in a free, fair and credible election, he vied on a Jubilee ticket.

Albeity wanted the court to invalidate the results and order a fresh election. He also prayed for scrutiny and recount of votes in all polling stations in Lamu County to ascertain the number of votes cast.

“The senatorial elections on August 8, 2017 were fair and held as per the law,” the judge had ruled, adding that there were no irregularities that could have affected the outcome.