The IEBC will conduct the Jubilee Party primaries, regardless of what the opposition says, National Assembly majority leader Aden Duale has said.
The opposition had threatened to move to court to block the move, saying taxpayers’ money should not be used for party primaries.
But Duale said the Constitution allows the electoral agency to conduct party primaries.
He spoke in Garissa High School on Saturday after issuing bursaries.
Duale said the resources the IEBC will use are provided for in law, have been budgeted for and passed by the House.
Last week, Jubilee leaders met the Wafula Chebukati-led commission and agreed to plan how to conduct the party’s primaries.
“We in Jubilee want the party ticket to go to the genuine winner. We want people to elect the person of their choice. There will be no monkey business as has been the case before,” Duale said.
He criticised the opposition, and specifically ODM, accusing it of turning the nominations into a
money seeking venture. “ODM is known to sell nomination papers to the highest bidder. That is not how Jubilee wants to do it. We want to give the certificate through free and fair nominations. That can only be done by a reputable agency like IEBC,” Duale said.
He said the opposition is not interested in a free and fair election.
“That is why it keeps bringing up issues at every step,” Duale said.
He added, “They started with the procurement of ballot papers, then went on to the extension of voter listing. We want to tell our friends to either choose between being players or referees
in the General Election.”
Last week, the IEBC said its preparations had been thrown into uncertainty after the High Court nullified the Sh2.5 billion tender awarded to a Dubai firm for printing ballot papers.