Kenya's CJ: Judiciary prepared to handle all disputes

By Zephania Ubwani, The Citizen Bureau Chief.

The Judiciary in Kenya has said it’s well prepared to handle disputes that may arise in the election process. 

Chief Justice (CJ) Willy Mutunga told an Election Observer Mission coordinated by the East African Community (EAC) that they would deal with election disputes impartially and efficiently.  According to him, there would be 114 judges and 436 magistrates standby to handle any dispute that may arise to ensure that petitions are heard and determined in a speedy manner.

“We are prepared and organised to deal with any number and manner of dispute that may arise from these elections in an independent, non-partisan and efficient way,” he said, according to a dispatch from the EAC observer team in Nairobi. 

The mission to the Monday’s polls in Kenya also includes observers from the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) and Inter-Governmental Authority in Development (Igad).

The team is led by former Speaker of the East African Legislative Assembly (Eala), Mr Abdulrahman Kinana, while Comesa and Igad delegations are headed by Ambassador Simbi Veke Mubako and Dr Berhane Ghebray respectively.  “These elections will usher in a new governance structure never experienced before by Kenyans. Therefore, it’s time for our national institutions, beginning with the Judiciary, to ensure elections are fair and credible,” he said.

Mr Mutunga informed his guests that it was very calming to see a lot of foreign and local observers following the elections.

Source: The Citizen (04/03/2013): http://thecitizen.co.tz/news/4-national-news/29327-cj-judiciary-prepared-to-handle-all-disputes