Politicians with integrity issues 'not yet free' - IEBC
Registrar of Political Parties Lucy Ndung'u (left) converses with Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Chairperson Wafula Chebukati during a meeting with leaders of political parties at Laico Regency Hotel in Nairobi on April 12, 2017. The chairman said the agency might bar candidates indicted by courts from the elections. PHOTO | SALATON NJAU | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- The Ethics and anti-corruption commission suggested that the five should be barred from office.
- The IEBC also sought information from the CUE with regard to cases with questionable academic qualifications.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission is non-committal on the fate of five politicians indicted as either culpable or having been convicted of various offences that could warrant their disqualification.
The Ethics and anti-corruption commission (EACC) has suggested that the five - whom the agency did not name - should be barred from office.
They include a governor aspirant, a senate aspirant, and three members of Parliament hopefuls.
UNLUCKY CANDIDATES
They are part of the 106 cases the EACC has flagged for having integrity issues.
The electoral body had earlier suggested that it might not bar people with ongoing cases or appeals, but might block those that have been indicted by the courts, constitutional commissions and Parliament, and have not challenged such indictments.
"The Commission will exercise its discretion to ensure that Chapter Six of the Constitution is complied with," IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati said in a statement to newsrooms.
PROBING LEADERS
But before then, Mr Chebukati said the commission had written back to the EACC "to seek for more information and clarification".
The recommendations by the EACC, led by Archbishop (Rtd) Eliud Wabukala, are part of the broad Chapter Six Working Group that was tasked with vetting of candidates before being cleared for the August 8 General Election.
After receiving nomination papers from the candidates, the IEBC still has until June 10 to sort out the list before its final gazettement on June 17.
In the statement, the commission said it had also sought information from the Commission for University Education with regard to cases with questionable academic qualifications.
PENDING CASES
Also, Mr Chebukati said the team was reaching out to the Public Service and Judicial Service Commissions for clarification in respect to former state and public officers.
Of the 106 cases, those that the EACC is investigating are 11 governorship contestants, one for Senate, two for woman representative, 13 for MP, and 14 for the Member of the County Assembly.
Those that have pending cases, according to the breakdown of the EACC data by the IEBC, are six for governorship, two for senate, one for woman representative, nine running for MP, and 23 for MCA.
