• Third presidential candidate's request to put them off for another month denied.
• Election board confirms postponement.
Image: COURTESY
The Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industries presidential polls slated for later this month have been moved to June 8.
They will be held at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.
The unanimous decision was reached after Muslim chamber leaders and presidential candidates requested to have the elections held immediately after Ramadhan. The holy month ends around June 4.
The leaders met outgoing KNCCI national chairman Kiprono Kittony.
Independent Elections Board chairman Benjamin Onkobo on Tuesday confirmed the postponement from May 28.
Presidential contenders Richard Ngatia (Nairobi chapter chairman) and James Mureu also approved and agreed to the dates.
However, a request from a third presidential contender, Abdulwalli Shariff, to have the elections postponed by another month was rejected by the Muslim leaders and chamber leadership.
Shariff's request contravenes the chamber constitutional provision on the tenure of office of the national chairman, which is time-specific.
Mureu launched his manifesto in Mombasa early last month, while Ngatia unveiled his agenda in a colourful ceremony at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre a fortnight ago.
Ngatia promised to establish a special fund that will offer affordable interest rates guided by strict lending regulations.
Equity Bank managing director Polycarp Igathe said the chamber can be advanced Sh150 billion currently invested in government bonds.
Gender and Youth Affairs Chief Administrative Secretary Rachel Shebesh, who was present, said the chamber will help them unlock access to more than Sh300 billion meant for youth, women and people with disability under the Access to Government Procurement Opportunities programme.
Ngatia pledged to raise the chamber direct membership from the current less than 20,000 to over 200,000 in his first year in office. There are more than four million small and medium enterprises in Kenya eligible for membership.
Other key agenda include root for improved services, mobilisation of resources for national chamber and capacity building for all chapters, strengthening the chamber's economic diplomacy and establishment of an academy to nurture young entrepreneurs.
“The challenge chamber members are grappling with is high finance to fund their business ventures, lack of markets for their goods and services, and lack of skills in entrepreneurship," Ngatia said.
"I believe the chamber is the best catalyst for business growth, job creation, the attainment of Vision 2030 and the Big Four agenda."
He committed to advocate free trade among counties and lobby for the removal of multiple taxes, statutory fees and licences to realise a well-supported 24-hour economy.
(Edited by R.Wamochie)