Electoral body warns it will not extend deadline for submission of party lists

By ROSELYNE OBALA

Political parties may have to burn the midnight oil after the primaries to beat the deadline for submitting party lists to the electoral body.

Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is talking tough and cautioning parties to adhere to the law. IEBC Chief Executive Officer James Oswago reiterated that the law was very clear and that parties must lodge their lists with the commission by Friday.

He stressed that they would not make any alterations once they receive the lists that must be free of errors. The Standard has learnt that political parties are working towards conducting credible nominations to reduce disputes that may arise today.

CORD and Amani alliances have moved to contain the situation and avoid possible fall out after the nominations. Time constraint is a factor that threatens to put many parties in disarray given the period they have to resolve their disputes.

Orange Democratic Movement National Elections Board Chairman Franklin Bett and United Democratic Front’s Chairman Hassan Osman have stated that they have put mechanisms in place to deal with complaints.

Mr Bett said the party had dispatched three panelists to every county to hear and determine any disputes that may arise. “We have our members who are appointed by the board at the grassroots level.

They will respond and resolve any differences that will emerge to enable us have a clean party list,” he said.

Bett said they hoped to have the nominees and submit their names to IEBC on Friday. “Our officials will resolve these disputes as quickly as possible. We urge all our aspirants to remain united after these primaries,” he said.

Mr Hassan announced that they had set up an appeals board comprising of five members to be based in Nairobi.