Petitioners can file within 30 days after the gazette: SIEC
BY JENNIFER KUSAPA
Election petitions can be filed 30 days after the Gazette to officially open this process.
Chief Electoral Officer Jasper Highwood Anisi made this statement in response to media enquiries regarding candidates who were not happy with the election results.
Mr Anisi said that ‘in every election, not every election is perfect – there will be mistakes’.
However, the Electoral commission (SIEC) calls on those who have ‘structured and substantiated issues where they are not vexatious or frivolous and have some legal issues’ to file a petition.
“We encourage those people to come to the commission, present their case to us, and seek legal action.
“Airing your disagreement on social media would not give you any remedy,” Anisi said.
He said election is a legal framework in which everything is conducted by law, so once the returning officer makes the declaration functus officio, meaning their functions are done, they cannot go back and correct the error; the only process is to go to the court and sort out the error from Returning Officers (RO).
“Once results are declared, the only way to correct them is through the courts.”
Anisi reminded everyone that the electoral process is governed by laws, so if anyone thinks there was a violation, they should speak up and file a petition with the commission.
