Tight IEBC deadlines squeeze Raila and Ruto

The August 9 general election is drawing closer and ODM boss Raila Odinga and Deputy President William Ruto are racing to beat tight electoral timeliness.

The two have a date with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission for presidential nominations on May 29.

In the meanwhile, there's a lot of work and not a lot of time.

They will have to ensure their coalition parties have put their houses in order through credible nominations. They must be taken through the legal steps necessary before formal IEBC clearance.

The next few weeks will be defining for Raila and Ruto as the  IEBC and the Registrar of Political Parties ensure compliance with statutory timelines.

The IEBC had in January gazetted the August 9 general election regulations after they were approved by Parliament.

This week, for instance, parties are pressed for time to submit to the IEBC their certified membership registers by Saturday, April 9.

Political parties must also conclude primaries by April 22.

For the last two days, Raila and Ruto scaled down their countrywide campaigns to focus on primaries to stem any acrimony that would hurt their prospects.

Raila's ODM in holding staggered nominations across the country. Ruto announced on Monday he has personally taken charge of the UDA nominations slated for April 14.

Presidential candidates — party sponsored and independents— have another early date with IEBC on May 23.

They are required to file forms supported by at least 2,000 registered voters from at least 24 counties and submit them to the IEBC on that day.

“Candidates intending to participate in the presidential election shall deliver to the commission corresponding copies of the identification documents of the voters who have appended their signatures in support of their candidature,” an IEBC notice said.

Political parties also must submit to the IEBC the names of aspirants who will participate in their internal polls by Saturday, when the official nominations window opens.

They are then required to handle any nomination disputes by April 22.

Then, they are required to submit the names of the duly nominated candidates, including presidential candidates, to IEBC on April 28.

According to fresh IEBC election regulations, the parties will also submit specimen signatures of authorised officials who will sign certificates for candidates by April 22.

“The specimen signatures shall be delivered in printed copy and electronic form in a USB flash drive at Anniversary towers 21st floor between 8am and 5pm,” the commission’s memo reads.

The specimen signature requirement is among the safeguards introduced by the IEBC to address complaints of rogue parties issuing a single certificate to multiple candidates, all bearing different signatures.

The commission has already said a nomination certificate issued to a candidate for the general election shall be signed by the duly authorised party official.

“The commission shall reject a Nomination Certificate that is not duly signed and/or bears any alterations,” the IEBC said in a statement.

Political parties seeking to enter into coalitions have until Saturday to submit their coalition documents to the Registrar of Parties, that being at least 120 days to the polls.

Raila's camp has already applied for the registration of Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition political party.

The ODM boss will run for the presidency on that ticket.

The outfit brings together more than 20 political parties supporting Raila, including his own ODM, President Uhuru Kenyatta's Jubilee and Kalonzo Musyoka's Wiper party.

On Wednesday, Raila named ex-Jubilee secretary general Raphael Tuju the executive director of the new political party.

All eyes are now on Ruto who has 48 hours to the deadline for submission of documents for registration of coalitions.

Some reports indicate Ruto's Kenya Kwanza Alliance might choose not to register as a coalition political party but instead as a coalition.

On Wednesday, Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua, a key Ruto ally, said the country should be ready for "earthshaking" Kenya Kwanza plans for the August polls.

“Just watch this space,” he said when asked about Kenya Kwanza's coalition plans.

Ruto in January had promised to make coalition agreements public, once they are submitted to the Registrar of Political Parties.

The fledgling alliance brings together Ruto's United Democratic Alliance, Musalia Mudavadi's ANC and Moses Wetang'ula's Ford Kenya, among others.

With independents expected to submit their names by May 2, the country is tipped for a high number of party-less aspirants.

In the 2017 polls, of the 15,082 candidates who were cleared by the IEBC to contest, 3,752 were independent candidates.

On Wednesday, Registrar of Political Parties Anne Nderitu told the Star 1,300 aspirants have so far submitted applications to run as independents.

She said the number could increase after parties conclude their nominations.

“It is too early to tell but I can confirm we will continue to receive more applications until May 2,” Nderitu said.

Independents would be required to submit a clearance certificate from the ORPP, confirming they are not members of any registered political party by May 2.

Independent candidates would also be required to submit the symbols they intend to use in the election, in both hard and electronic copies.

On May 13, the IEBC shall publish in the Kenya Gazette the names and symbols of those intending to run as independents.

The Political Parties Act allows nomination losers to reign from political parties and contest the elections as independents.

Parliament rejected a sweeping legislative proposal by the IEBC that would have blocked nominations losers from running as independents.

The commission wanted the law amended to have party membership lists submitted the same day independent candidates present themselves for clearance.

The Wafula Chebukati-led electoral agency proposed the deadline for submission of party lists be 90 days to election day, instead of the 120 days in the law.

The IEBC has warned that candidates who are not qualified or ineligible would not be cleared to run, including those without required academic and integrity clearances.

“The commission shall reject the candidature of any person nominated by a political party for any elective position, if that candidate is not qualified or eligible for election under the Constitution, the Elections Act, 2011 or any other written law,” the commission said in a statement.

Among the applicable laws is the Leadership and Integrity Act, which the EACC recently said would be enforced to the letter in the clearance of candidates.

Ruto on Monday announced he will personally supervise the UDA nominations across the country to ensure credible, free and fair primaries.

The party intends to deploy more than 100,000 poll officials to manage the high-stakes exercise estimated to cost the party as much as Sh500 million.

The DP has been meeting aspirants to build consensus as a way of avoiding divisive nominations.

Mudavadi on Wednesday met Kenya Kwanza aspirants from Nairobi county as part of the team's strategy to address nominations jitters about fairness.

At the Bomas of Kenya, Kalonzo met Wiper aspirants from across the country to quell nomination anxiety as the party tries to ease friction with other Azimio allies.

(Edited by V. Graham)