- For Ruto, his coalition has five slots thus will pick 15 members from the list of 145 allies who have applied for the seats.
- Raila, will select 12 names out of the 96 who allied under the coalition
Image: EZEKIEL AMINGÁ
President William Ruto and Azimio chief Raila Odinga will be at the centre of focus as their coalitions nominate names for EALA jobs.
Also under watch will be independent candidates, who, just like the coalitions, have until close of business on Wednesday to submit their names.
The joint National Assembly and Senate committee on the nomination of EALA members said independent candidates will formally apply during the nomination day, which is today.
“All successful applicants whatever their number will find their way to the ballot paper for consideration by members of both Houses,” Makueni Senator Dan Maanzo said.
Maanzo is co-chairing the committee with Kipipiri MP Wanjiku Muhia.
Maanzo disclosed parliamentary political parties will have a maximum of 27 nominees being three times the quota of nine for consideration by both houses,
The number, he said, is based on the rules of EALA to enable a diverse pool of candidates.
This means that Ruto and Raila will have to sieve through the list of 241 allies who applied for the jobs, pick 27 and send their names to parliament for a vote.
For Ruto, his coalition has five slots thus will pick 15 members from the list of 145 allies who have applied for the seats.
They include former nominated Senator Falhada Dekow, ex-nominated MP David Sankok., former EALA MP Simon Mbugua and former Narok deputy governor Everlyn Aruasa.
Others are former West Pokot Woman Rep Lilian Tomition, businessman Don Bosco Gichana and radio journalist Joshua Arap Sang.
For Raila, will select 12 names out of the 96 who allied under the coalition and send their names to parliament where four names will be voted on by the MPs.
They include his daughter, Winnie Odinga, his elder brother Oburu Oginga’s son Jaoko Odinga and Raila’s cousin George Midiwo.
Ex-MPs Naomi Shaban (Taita Taveta), Kanini Kega (Kieni) and Jeremiah Kioni (Ndaragua) are topping the list of ex-President Uhuru Kenyatta's allies seeking the jobs.
Former MPs Asam Kamama (Tiaty), Jude Njom0 (Kiambu Town), Moses Ole Sakuda (Kajiado North) and ODM Treasurer Timothy Bosire are also on the list.
“Nominees by candidates are invariably members of those respective parties which remains the business of the respective parties and coalitions as long as they comply with article 50 (1) of the Treaty and Rule 6 (2),” Maanzo said.
The rule requires that in making the nominations, each party shall as much as is feasible take into account the need for fair representation.
This includes regional balance, shades of opinion, gender and other special interest groups in Kenya and ensure that at least one-third of its nominees are women.
“We cannot tell the maximum number of candidates that will find their way to the ballot, until the nomination exercise is concluded on Wednesday 9, 2022.” he said.
Maanzo held that the independent candidates will be vetted during the nomination day based on the rules and the various laws that enable one to be qualified to vie as a MP.
Rule 3 of the EALA Elections (Election of Members of the Assembly), provides that ‘a person shall not qualify to vie for election unless he or she meets the requirements for election set out under article 50 (2) of the Treaty for the establishment of the East African Community (EAC), article 99 of the constitution and section 22 of the elections act.