‘Fear not, no favouritism,’ Judge warns election tribunals against political pressure

He similarly cautioned the tribunal members against favouritism, saying political prominence, professional familiarity with a lawyer or the status, office or personality of a witness should have no bearing on their decisions.

Justice Limbani said local government was the first, if not the most regular, point of contact with democracy for most citizens and that disputes arising from local government elections should therefore not be treated as matters of lesser constitutional importance.

He said the campaigns had ended and the electoral process had now entered the adjudication phase, reminding tribunal members that their role was neither to defend nor overturn an election, but to determine whether the law had been followed and whether a challenged election could stand.

Justice Limbani said the 2026 Local Government Elections Tribunals Rules required petitions to be heard and determined within 30 days of filing, but warned that the need for speed should not compromise fairness.

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