Raila’s journey to State House begins

 

Opposition leader Raila Odinga after addressing a press conference on rampant corruption in the country, last year. Raila is among presidential aspirants who are expected to meet electoral commission officials today. [Jennifer Wachie, Standard]

National Super Alliance (NASA) presidential candidate Raila Odinga yesterday began his journey towards his fourth bid for the presidency by fulfilling a statutory requirement on voters backing his cause.

Raila’s team presented to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) over 60,000 signatures of voters from 27 counties who are supporting his candidature.

 Required in law

The figure was more than the 48,000 required in law from at least 24, with Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) officials explaining it was an insurance just in case some are rejected during vetting.

Last year, Okoa Kenya’s referendum push collapsed after Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) rejected some of the signatures which meant those valid fell below the statutory minimum of 1 million.

“We have presented 65,000 signatures from 27 counties. We decided to get signatures from 27 and not 24 required by law so that we are on the safe side even after verification by the Commission,” said, Hamida Ali from ODM presidential campaigns secretariat yesterday.

Orange party Secretary General Agnes Zani made the submissions to the electoral commission.

Since NASA is a coalition and not a registered political party, Raila’s name will appear on the ballot paper against an Orange symbol.

Today, Raila is expected to be among presidential aspirants who will meet the electoral commission for a pre-nomination meeting.

Together with his running mate, Kalonzo Musyoka, are expected to present their nomination papers to IEBC on Sunday, the same day that official campaigns begin.

Zani said that the party decided to present part of the requirements earlier.

But while ODM was presenting the signatures, officials of Jubilee Party were holed up in a meeting to plan political activities including presentation of the required documents to the electoral body.

Jubilee’s Director of Communication, Albert Memusi, was however tight-lipped on the exact date of presentation of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s signatures.

He, however, confirmed to The Standard that the party was mulling presenting the signatures yesterday evening.

“We may present the signatures hopefully today but its not confirmed,” said Memusi.

The law requires both political party presidential candidates and independent candidates to submit to the electoral body an electronic and printed copy of not fewer than 2,000 voters from each of the majority of the counties in the prescribed form.

According to the requirements published by IEBC, a candidate nominated by a political party to participate in the General Election must be a Kenyan citizen by birth and is qualified to stand for election as a Member of Parliament.