Ruto opposes proposed IEBC election fee

By Beauttah Omanga

Presidential hopeful William Ruto criticised the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) over its plans to impose a fee on candidates in the General Election.

Ruto said it was unacceptable for the proposed fees to be paid before those seeking various seats in the elections are cleared.

He said the IEBC has no justification to demand hefty fees from leaders yet it has been allocated billions of shillings for operations.

“The IEBC has got its priorities and plans wrong. There is no justification to demand money from candidates cleared by their parties. Kenyan taxpayers have already through the Treasury given them enough money to run elections,” said the Eldoret North MP.

Ruto who is seeking the presidency on URP party, was addressing a rally at Eldama Ravine town in Baringo County and added IEBC should stop playing games and instead focus on planning to conduct a credible election.

The IEBC through its chairman Issack Hassan has proposed huge fees for all candidates nominated by their respective parties for the commission’s clearance. However, leaders have questioned the logic behind the hefty fees.

Help farmers

He said if elected President, he would ensure the youth’s were adequately supported to make them economically independent.

“The country can not grow economically unless we address the joblessness among our youth who are the backbone of the country,” said Ruto. He said he would ensure the youth received Sh80million per a constituency for small enterprises.

Ruto said under URP, the youth would be empowered to offer solutions “unlike now when they are being seen as problems”.

 He said the URP would give all farmers their rightful dues for their products and stop exploitation by middlemen.

He announced that his party’s grassroots polls and eventual nomination will be free an fair and that nobody will be treated in a special way from other competitors.

 “Our party is democratic and nobody should fear,” he said.