The High Court in Nairobi has issued temporary orders barring the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) from subjecting the Building Bridges Initiative (Constitutional Amendment) Bill 2020 to a referendum.

Turkana County Assembly and Thirdway Alliance had filed a petition seeking to stop county assemblies and Parliament from considering the Bill until the matter is heard and determined.

The 5-judge bench led by Justice Joel Ngugi on Monday issued the directive until the petition by the two parties consolidated with six others is heard and determined by the High Court bench.

The judges have however ruled that the 47 County Assemblies and the August House are allowed to continue debating and holding public engagements on the said BBI Bill.

Thirdway Lawyer Elias Mutuma argued that IEBC and those pushing the BBI Bill were rushing the process towards a plebiscite and this was likely to affect the petition filed by the party.

The political party had also sought to have the High Court issue a ruling that that the whole BBI process leading to the launch of the BBI Bill had been conducted unconstitutionally.