Fresh dispute over EALA nominees

Controversy surrounding Kenyan nominees to the regional assembly deepened Thursday, with an applicant filing a petition in court to stop Parliament from going ahead with the election.

Activist Okiya Omtata argued that Parliament has allocated all the nine slots to political parties and locked out independent candidates who also want to serve the country at the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA).

“Their decision to lock out independent candidates from vying and being elected is contrary to the spirit of the East Africa Community, which says that member States should consider special interest groups in their nomination,” said Omtatah.

He is seeking orders to stop Parliament from proceeding with debate to elect candidates nominated by Jubilee Party, Orange Democratic Movement, Wiper, and Ford Kenya until the petition is heard and determined.

Nine seats

Kenya has nine seats at the regional assembly based in Arusha, with the current term of EALA legislators scheduled to expire on June 5.

Jubilee has proposed 15 names and Parliament will vote to select five, while the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy submitted only four names, causing an uproar in Parliament, with the select committee tasked with spearheading the process demanding that the party select seven more nominees.

Among the Jubilee nominees are former Interior PS Mutea Iringo, former Kamukunji MP Simon Mbugua, Mandera North MP Mohammed Adan Nooru, party chairman Nelson Dzuya, former Clerk of the National Assembly Justin Bundi, Embu County Assembly Speaker Justus Mate, and EALA member Abubakar Ogle.

CORD has nominated Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka’s son Kennedy Kalonzo, ODM elections board chairperson Judith Pareno, Mr Ronald Ngeny, and Mr Abubakar Zein.