We will not be silenced, presidential 'rejects' say

Some presidential hopefuls who were not cleared by the IEBC have protested the move, saying they will not be silenced.

The hopefuls accused IEBC boss Wafula Chebukati of using regulations to unfairly lock them out of the presidential race.

"Chebukati and the team will read the law as it is convenient to them. They will use regulations to sieve out those they don't want to be on the ballot," Reuben Kigame said.

He said the Constitution allows anyone who qualifies to run for the presidency is allowed to run without any impediments.

On Monday, Chebukati said those aspirants who were locked out failed to meet all the legal requirements necessary to be cleared to run for the top seat.

He said some failed to submit the requisite number of signatures, photocopies of IDs of their supporters or failed to provide their academic documents.

Out of 55 hopefuls who had expressed interest in the presidential race, only four were cleared.

They are Azimio la Umojas Raila Odinga, UDA's William Ruto, George Wajackoya (Roots Party) and David Waihiga (Agano Party).

Speaking on Tuesday at Safina Party headquarters in the company of Jimi Wanjigi, Kigame said he felt discriminated against by IEBC.

"Kenyans are you aware that I do not appear in the list of the four and I do not even appear in the list of those who are disqualified. Chebukati and his team treat me like a non-entity. They treat me as an accident," he said.

"We will not be silenced. I'm here for the long haul to represent people with disabilities," Kigame said.

Wanjigi, the Safina presidential hopeful said Kenyans passed the 2010 Consitution partly to defeat dictatorship which they believed had been defeated.

"It is evident to all of us today that this is a government that decided at the beginning it is going to claw back what we envisaged as the gains of the 2010 Constitution," Wanjigi said.

Wanjigi's presidential bid came to a halt on Monday after the IEBC declined to clear him, saying he failed to submit a sufficient number of supporters' signatures and his degree certificate.