IEBC sets date for by-elections in 3 constituencies

By Faith Kipronoh

Nairobi, Kenya: The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Thursday confirmed the dates for the by-elections in three constituencies and asked candidates to submit their symbols and seek clearance from the Registrar of Political Parties by April 15.

“IEBC would like to inform the public that by-elections for members of the National Assembly in Nyando, Mathare and Bonchari constituencies will be held on Tuesday, June 3, 2014,” said Tabitha Mutemi, IEBC Communication and Corporate Affairs manager in a statement to newsrooms.

Ms Mutemi said the by-elections for Misikhu (Webuye West, Bungoma County), Maua (Igembe South, Meru County) and Kikombai (Galole, Tana River County) county assembly wards would also be held on the same date.

According to IEBC, party primaries are expected to be completed by April 19. Consequently, the official campaign period will start immediately after candidates present their nomination papers to returning officers on May 6 and May 7 respectively.

“Candidates will present their nomination papers to respective returning officers on May 6 and May 7, paving the way for the official campaign period, which ends on June 1,” the statement read in part.

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Just last month, the Court of Appeal sitting in Kisumu ordered a by-election to be conducted in Bonchari constituency after revoking a High Court decision that had ruled Oroo Oyioka as the MP.

The Kisii High Court had declared Mr Oyioka as the MP after a petition in which a vote recount indicated he had won by four votes against the then MP Zebedeo Opore.

Public resources

The same court nullified the election of Nyando MP Fred Outa, ruling that he used public resources during campaigns.

Immediate former Mathare MP George Wanjohi similarly lost his seat after the Court of Appeal sitting in Nairobi ruled that varying tallies released by IEBC’s returning officer could not identify the real winner of the election.

Migori Governor Okoth Obado also lost his seat after the court nullified his election. The IEBC, however, said the by-election date for the Migori gubernatorial election would be announced once the County Assembly Speaker was sworn in as acting governor.

IEBC also said it would await the outcome of an appeal challenging the nullification of the election of Meru Governor Peter Munya before making a decision. Munya has since been reinstated by the Supreme Court pending determination of the appeal.