Census results for 3 counties cancelled, court orders fresh exercise

In the case, Abdullahi Bashir Sheik and 24 others accused Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) and 4 others of overseeing the anomaly, claiming that the November 2019 census was not a factual representation of the total population in the region.

They further accused KNBS of altering the population numbers, arguing that it impacted their social, economic and political standing as other Kenyans stood to gain more resources.

After a 5-year court battle, the High Court found that the 2019 census results were released per UN guidelines but it was impractical to report that the population size in the said counties dropped from the 2009 census.

"In view of the disobedience of the court order for scrutiny to verify the truth on the disputed figures, the order that is commendable to the court is to quash the 2019 census results for the affected areas in the North Eastern three counties (Mandera, Wajir and Garissa," read court papers in part.

KNBS rebutted that they did not make a rushed decision in processing results, arguing that the use of technology made work easier and saved time.

It also added that there was no dire consequence in failing to conduct post-enumeration evaluation as "a different approach approved by UN principles was used".

Therefore, Judge John Onyiego quashed the 2019 results for the constituencies and ordered KNBS to conduct a fresh mini-census within one year. 

He also ordered that results for Eldas, Tarbaj, Wajir West, Wajir East and Wajir North constituencies be similarly quashed.

Judge Onyiego directed the affected counties to use the 2009 census data until KNBS completed conducting fresh population statistics.