The campaign tracker today: 29-03-2017

Lobby groups wants polls postponed

6.05pm

A lobby group affiliated to the Jubilee Party has called for the postponement of the general elections set for August 8.

The group, Jubilee Lobby Group for Reforms (Jubilog) wants the elections held in December.

Jubilog says IEBC is ill-prepared to handle free and fair elections.

It has called on Parliament to amend the election laws to accommodate the delay, saying IEBC is yet to put in place the integrated elections management system, a crucial component for free and fair elections.

“We are heading for elections, which some people are complaining that IEBC is not well-prepared for. We are in agreement with them.” – Mr Martin Njoroge Kibilo, Jubilog chairman

Nasa flag bearer

4pm

Nasa flag bearer will be chosen late April or early May, ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi has said.

Mr Mudavadi has called for objectivity in the coordinating committee.

He said calls to boycott elections if any of the four Nasa co-principals is not chosen will hurt democracy.

Wiper says it must be Kalonzo

National Assembly Minority Leader Francis Nyenze says there has been a stalemate in the Nasa coordinating committee.

He says if Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka will not be the Nasa presidential candidate, the coalition will not exist anymore.

“The Kambas have reached an edge and if it is not Kalonzo, Wiper will go it alone. We'll not play second fiddle to anybody." – Francis Nyenze

Mr Nyenze has given Nasa a seven-day ultimatum to convene a meeting of the national coordinating committee to affirm the 2013 MoU, otherwise Kalonzo will go it alone.

But Wiper Secretary-General has accused the media of portraying the party in bad light.

“We will not play second fiddle but we will play inside Nasa even if Kalonzo Musyoka is not chosen to fly Nasa flag.”- Hassan Omar.

Mr Omar says there is nothing wrong with Mr Nyenze strongly stating the party’s position.

"What is wrong with Nyenze putting our position out there? He is our negotiator and he has the right to speak strongly about it. We have strong faith in him. When you say there is corruption in Kenya, are you saying you are about to bolt out? No!" – Mr Omar.

Jubilee gets executive director

Jubilee Party has appointed Winnie Guchu as its executive director.

Five other people have also been appointed as directors of various departments in the party.

Jubilee on fake papers issue

12.45pm

Jubilee Party says it is as much as possible filtering papers submitted by aspirants to ensure none is fake.

However, the party says only IEBC will decide who runs or does not.

Party Vice-Chairman David Murathe says they have a list of requirements that aspirants must meet including submitting proof of academic qualifications.

But he says the work of verifying those documents is left to IEBC.

"Our job is to vet these people but the final arbiter is the IEBC." – David Murathe

Today's activities

Deputy President William Ruto, Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi and his Wiper counterpart Kalonzo Musyoka will all be involved in different political activities today, 132 days to the August 8 general election.

Mudavadi meets ANC aspirants

Mr Mudavadi will kick off the events with a press conference scheduled at 10am at Amani House, Lavington.

The National Super Alliance (Nasa) co-principal, will speak after meeting with representatives of disabled groups and meet ANC aspirants.

Wiper NEC meets Kalonzo

Wiper’s Mr Musyoka will chair the party’s National Executive Council at its headquarters in Lavington, Nairobi before addressing a press conference at noon.

The planned events by the Nasa duo come at a time of intense pressure on the team to name a presidential flag bearer to face President Uhuru Kenyatta in the August 8 poll.

William Ruto at Safari park

Meanwhile, Mr Ruto, who is also the Jubilee Party leader, will open the All Africa Post-harvest Congress at the Safari Park Hotel at 2pm.

At the same time, the Jubilee Party is today expected to announce its nomination dates.

The Jubilee National Elections Board Vice-chairperson Vesca Kangogo had on Tuesday said that the dates will be announced by the team at the party headquarters.

Additional reporting: John Ngirachu, Bernardine Mutanu