Why thousands of aspirants risk being locked out of party nominations

 

IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati (right) addresses the Press at Anniversary Towers. He is flanked by NASA leaders (from left) Musalia Mudavadi, Kalonzo Musyoka and Raila Odinga. [Photo:Edward Kiplimo, Standard]

Thousands of aspirants including those from major parties of Jubilee, ODM and Wiper risk not being cleared to run by the electoral body for failure by their political outfits to comply with the required format.

The Independent, Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) in a memo to the parties, gave them up to tomorrow for the 28 political parties to align the aspirants' list in the required electronic format.

The letter signed by IEBC CEO Ezra Chiloba to all secretary generals of political parties, indicated that only 17 parties had successfully presented their list in the electronic formats as required.

"Reference is made to our letter... outlining modalities of submitting the party list of aspirants, who will be participating on the parties' primaries ... on receipt of the list, the commission has since established that some parties failed to submit in the designated electronic format," read part of the letter.

In the list, Amani National Congress (ANC) and Maendeleo Chap Chap were the only big parties that have complied with the rule and have had their aspirants cleared by the IEBC to participate in the primaries that will be held between April 13 and 26.

By the end of the presentation of the aspirants' lists on April 5, over 22,000 hopefuls had declared interest in the 1881 seats for the gubernatorial, Senate, women representatives, national and County Assembly.

Yesterday, ANC Secretary General Godfrey Osotsi said that they had followed due process and had secured their aspirants for the primaries.

"We are ready to have our hopefuls battle it out in the nominations," said Mr Osotsi.

Wiper Secretary General and Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar said that they had received the communication and were preparing the list to comply with their IEBC requirement.

"We will be done and have the list prepared by the Monday deadline so that our aspirants are not affected," said Omar.