Civil servants eyeing seats told to resign

Civil servants who intend to vie for elective positions in the next elections have three weeks to resign from their current positions.

The electoral commission issued the notice in a statement on its web site as it set upon establishing a committee to ensure political parties and aspirants do not engage in fund-raising, whose deadline was Thursday last week.

The two are some of the truths that are starting to come home following the enactment of strict electoral rules aimed at ridding the political field of practices that often tilt the contest in favour of some political parties and individuals.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission has set January 14, 2012 as the last day civil servants should hold their offices, if the elections are to held on August 14, 2012.

“Section 43(5) of the Elections Act requires that any public officer who intends to contest an election to resign from public office at least seven months before the date of election,” says the statement.

The requirement, however, does not affect President Kibaki, Prime Minister Raila Odinga, Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka, ministers, mayors and councillors who are categorised as public officers.

This means that permanent secretaries: Prof James ole Kiyiapi (Education), Mr Kennedy Lusaka (Livestock), Prof Karega Mutahi (Local Government), and Administration Police Commandant Kinuthia Mbugua and a string parastatal heads eyeing seats at both national and county levels should resign from their jobs mid next month.

Prof Kiyiapi has declared intentions to vie for the presidency, Mr Lusaka is eyeing the governor’s seat in Bungoma County while Prof Mutahi and Mr Mbugua are seeking elective seats in Muranga and Nakuru, respectively.

However, they will get a four month’s reprieve if either the High Court rules next month that the 2012 elections will be held in December or the Cabinet amendment on moving the elections date succeeds.