University student moves to ‘Supreme Court’ after losing elections

He has moved to the university’s ‘supreme court’ seeking to nullify the election and order for fresh polls.

He launched the petition contesting the February 9, 2018 election results. Kipngeno came second after Joe Karani who won by a one-vote margin with Karani scooping 10 while Kipngeno getting 9 of the total votes cast. The elections were conducted under the new Electoral College system where student delegates, also known as school representatives, vote directly for the top students’ leadership.

According to him, the elections deserve to be nullified since the commissioners were given a chance to vote but the chairman of the electoral commission declined to vote.

“I am appealing the elections held at Laikipia University on February 9, 2018, since the electoral commission conducting the elections was not fair. The chairman of the commission declined to vote and this was uncalled for. The election was a scam,” Kipngeno lamented.

He said that his coalition out of the seven slots being contested for managed to win four thus him losing the top seat was uncalled for and he was not ready for that.

Electoral commission chairman Edwin Odero explained to Campus Vibe that the university constitution had given them the mandate of ensuring that they hold elections fairly and in case of a tie a suitable way should be used to get the winner.

“As a commission we are given the mandate to come up with suitable way that will break vote ties as it happened in the students’ chairperson and deputy chairperson in the concluded elections. This forced the commissioners to vote but I declined to do so since we were eight and there was a need to have an odd number,” Odero said.

Odero welcomed the petition which he termed as a democratic way of ensuring that the voices of all comrades were heard.
A tribunal consisting representatives from the electoral commission, office of the dean of students, two final year students and Deputy Vice-Chancellor Students Affairs are responsible of handling electoral petitions.