IEBC issues rules on party nominees

Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Chairman Wafula Chebukati speaks during a press conference on June 14, 2017 in Nairobi. It has told parties to ensure the order of the nominees alternated between men and women candidates. PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The National Assembly has 12 special seats, the Senate 20, and the number of nominated MCAs stands at 774.
  • IEBC also asked the parties not to nominate more than two people from the same ethnic community.

Political Parties have until Saturday to submit to the electoral commission lists of members they want nominated to Parliament and county assemblies.

Every political party taking part in the General Election has to submit the list, failure to which they may not be considered in the allocation of the special seats in the Senate, National Assembly or the 47 county assemblies.

In a paid up advert in Sunday Nation, Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairman Wafula Chebukati asked the parties to submit the lists electronically in the candidate registration management system and thereafter in hard copy.

“Where the political party fails to submit its...list or the...list is not submitted in accordance with these requirements and procedures, the...party shall not be considered for the allocation of the seats,” Mr Chebukati said.

SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS
The National Assembly has 12 special seats, the Senate 20, and the number of nominated MCAs stands at 774.

Apart from having qualifications as those gunning for elective seats, the National Assembly party list must include nominees to represent the youth, the disabled, workers and other special interests groups.

The Senate women party list must have 16 names and parties must ensure that no more than two nominees come from the same county.

REQUIREMENTS
IEBC also asked the parties not to nominate more than two people from the same ethnic community.

The Senate youth party list should have two names; a man and a woman. The same applies to the list of the disabled.

One nominee cannot represent more than one special interest group.

The nominating party would be expected to indicate the special interest that every nominee would represent.

GENDER PARITY
To meet the gender rule, IEBC told the parties to ensure the order of the nominees alternated between men and women candidates.

Nominees in the disability category must submit a certificate from the National Council for Persons with Disabilities.

Those who wish to be nominated in the youth category must be 18 and above but below 35. Evidence of that must be provided to the IEBC.