Five University of Nairobi (UoN) students have moved to court seeking to quash the decision by the institution barring them from contesting in this year’s elections which will be held on 19th April.
In their petition, Felix Opiyo, Said Kuria, Annie Wangare, Kelvin Momanyi and Hebron Akale argue that they were irregularly barred from contesting and want the decision nullified.
The five claim they have been barred from contesting in any future elections to be held by the university.
Through their lawyer Arnold Ochieng Oginga, the five said that they were disqualified from vying on allegations of criminal offences.
“We made our respective applications for approval for nomination with the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) of the University of Nairobi Students Association,” said the students.
However, through a letter dated 5th April 2018, an arbitrary decision to disqualify and bar them from ever contesting in the University of Nairobi elections was made.
The students said they were never served with any copies of their respective charges nor presented with the evidence that was used to condemn them.
According to Opiyo, he had visited the office of the Director, School of Journalism with his nomination papers for signing and stamping and gave them to the secretary who took them to the Director.
“On April 4, 2018, he said that he submitted the papers to the IEC of the University for clearance to vie as a candidate for the position of Secretary General,” Opiyo added.
We received calls summoning us to collect the letters from the said Commission which showed we had been disqualified,” the students said.
“In the said letter we had been condemned unheard for criminal offenses and we had been fined Sh 50,000 for alleged electoral offenses,” said Apiyo.
They claim they were never summoned for any disciplinary process and were never accorded an opportunity to give their side of story.
The case will be heard inter-parties on Monday 16th.
