All parties submit lists for primaries
What you need to know:
- The parties have also submitted party registers to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) but more than 60 per cent of registered voters will not participate in those nominations as they ae not registered members of various political parties.
- Several governors and Members of Parliament are fighting for their political careers in the race that pits old allies against each other, especially in the gubernatorial race.
All political parties seeking to stage nominations for the August polls have submitted their lists of aspirants as party primaries begin on Thursday, the electoral commission has confirmed.
The parties have also submitted party registers to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) but more than 60 per cent of registered voters will not participate in those nominations as they ae not registered members of various political parties.
Of the 30 parties that have submitted lists, 17 notified the IEBC that they will only conduct direct nominations. They include Safina, National Agenda Party of Kenya and National Vision Party.
Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and Jubilee Party are expected to conduct very competitive primaries in more than 30 counties.
Several governors and Members of Parliament are fighting for their political careers in the race that pits old allies against each other, especially in the gubernatorial race.
NOT ALLOWED
ODM primaries start on Thursday while Jubilee will conduct theirs on April 21.
“We were only expecting lists from parties that will be conducting primaries,” said IEBC chief executive officer Ezra Chiloba. “Those preparing for direct nominations will do that later.”
Mr Chiloba said many parties had complied early and that the remaining ones did so before deadline on Tuesday.
ODM and JP are among political parties that submitted their papers.
Registrar of Political Parties Lucy Ndung’u warned that parties that miss the deadline on the submission of lists cannot be allowed to participate in the General Election.
MAJOR BLOW
“The law is clear on some of these things and participating parties must follow and adhere,” said Ms Ndung’u.
She also warned that political parties will not be allowed to invite non-members into their party primaries.
Ms Ndung’u said Jubilee had registered close to 4.5 million members and ODM less than two million for the primaries.
ODM is said to have suffered a major blow after hundreds of its members listed in other parties had their names expunged from the party register.
ODM executive director Oduor Ong’wen said the party was ready for the primaries.
