Editor's Review

Sonko, who is seeking the Mombasa governor seat, welcomed the ruling.

The high court has dismissed petitions seeking to bar candidates with integrity questions from vying in the August 9 polls.

A three-judge bench said the cases touching on Mike Sonko, Kiambu senate UDA candidate Karugo Thang'wa and Nakuru West MP Samuel Arama were presented to court prematurely.

"Jurisdiction of this court should not be invoked until the mechanisms before the IEBC are exhausted. We decline jurisdiction on those cases," they said.

During the hearing, IEBC Lawyer Edwin Mukele however told Justices David Majanja, Chacha Mwita and Mugure Thande that it has no jurisdiction to deal with issues around acceptance of Sonko’s candidature.

{Former Nairobi Mike Sonko. IMAGE: COURTESY}

That power he said solely lies with the commission’s disputes committee.

Sonko, who is seeking the Mombasa governor seat, welcomed the ruling.

"Reprieve for Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko as a three-judge bench dismisses petition seeking to bar him from the elective post," he wrote on Facebook.