•The clergy said since it the people who have the right to vote, they must choose wisely by examining all candidates.
Religious leaders have called on Kenyans to reject politicians facing corruption charges or having pending court cases so national values can be upheld.
Following a pronouncement by the IEBC that it will not block corrupt politicians from running for election, the clerics appealed to voters to reject the corrupt and vote in leaders with integrity.
The Anglican Church of Kenya led the call just a day after Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i warned that an unusually high number of economic criminals and their accomplices may buy their way into Parliament.
Matiang'i said up to 40 per cent of elective seats could be won by deep-pocketed politicians financing their campaigns from the proceeds of graft.
On Thursday, Archbishop Jackson Ole Sapit said Kenyans have an opportunity to choose wisely by examining all those going for elective seats in the forthcoming poll.
“We note with great concern that corruption is a major challenge to our country. There is an urgent need to curb it by every means possible," he said.
"Blunder and misuse of public resources by persons entrusted to oversee them must be brought to a stop,” Sapit told he press.
The clerics said they will work with a number of groups and development partners to educate Kenyans against electing leaders with dubious records.
"We are going to navigate through this electioneering period together and play an active role doing civic education, mediation while advocating for peace, truth and justice to prevail," they said in a statement.
The electoral agency made the submissions in an affidavit filed in response to a case by activist Okiya Omtatah seeking to bar all those facing graft charges barred from seeking elective seats.
It followed a decision by High Court judge Antony Mrima a fortnight ago that termed the Electoral Code Enforcement committee unconstitutional and illegal. It is chaired by IEBC boss Wafula Chebukati.
Mrima made the findings in a case filed by Murang'a Woman Representative Sabina Chege who obtained orders to halt the case against her by the polls agency.
"Going by that decision, we are restricted in our mandate not only during nomination of the candidates but also after nominations," the IEBC said.
The electoral agency said enforcement of the code is its mandate, but the court rejected its argument.
(Edited by V. Graham)