IEBC has no authority to bar any politician from vying in the upcoming General Elections.Only a high court ruling can instruct IEBC purge out a candidate from participating
in an election exercise.
Prof Abdi Guliye, IEBC Commissioner at IEBC offices Anniversary Towers. [COURTESY]
NIA commission listed the Kenya Kwanza presidential running mate Rigathi Gachagua, Ex Nairobi Governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko, and Embakasi East Mp Babu Owino among other leaders viewed unfit to vie for elective posts in the August 9, 2022 polls. The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has no realism measures to bar any politician summoned by any commission regarding integrity issues. The electoral commission did reveal that they only prioritize the ruling given by a high court respectively to the matters raised that indeed prove the enlisted politician is guilty.Speaking with Switch media, the commissioner of the Independent, Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Prof Abdi Yakub Guliye has recited that no authority given to the commission to bar any politician from contesting in any given political position in Kenya as contemplated in the Constitution.“We have no authenticity as the IEBC board to bar any politician from seeking position nor depending on assertions given
out by any commission lobbying for withdrawing of the accused politicians from
a political race”“We will only depend on a high Court orders on whether we
should withdraw the names or allow the red-carded ones to contest only if their
complaints are properly addressed by the courts,” says Prof Guliye.However, this comes alongside the 25 listed names of contester’s released on May 22, by the National Integrity Alliance (NIA) wanting the IEBC board to bar them from being in the ballot box, less than three months to the elections.The NIA commission listed the Kenya Kwanza presidential running mate Rigathi Gachagua, Ex Nairobi Governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko, and Embakasi East Mp Babu Owino among other leaders viewed unfit to vie for elective posts in the August 9, 2022 polls.
NIA further listed the politicians to have questionable integrity records hence there is a need for IEBC to throw them out
of the race.“We have been closely monitoring key developments in regard to the enforcement of Chapter 6 of the Constitution on leadership and Integrity”“With the August 2022 General Election drawing closer, we note that various political formations have nominated candidates to vie for elective seats, and various individuals have also presented themselves to contest as independent candidates. Regrettably, a number of these political aspirants have tainted integrity,” NIA statement reveals.NIA is citizen-centered integrity and an anti-corruption coalition comprising Transparency International Kenya (TI-Kenya), Inuka Kenya Ni Sisi! Mzalendo Trust, The Institute for Social Accountability (TISA), and The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC).Other leaders enlisted by the NIA were Kilifi Gubernatorial aspirant Aisha Jumwa Jumwa, Garissa Gubernatorial aspirant Ali Korane, Anne Waiguru, Cleophas Malala, Daniel Manduku, Didmus Barasa, Evans Kidero, Fahim Twaha, Godhana Dhadho Gaddae, Johanna Ng’eno, John Walukhe, Joseph Samal, Kembi Gitura, Lilian Omollo, Mathew Lempurkel, Mohamed Abdi Mohamud, Muthomi Njuki,Oscar Kipchumba Sudi, Philip Kaloki, Samson Cherargei, Samuel Arama and Sospeter Ojaamong.
The NIA said the Red Card 2022 list was generated from
authentic and verifiable investigative reports from different commissions.
“The information gathered from existing reports
by oversight institutions including, the Office of the Auditor General (OAG),
the Ethics & Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), Kenya National Commission
on Human Rights (KNCHR), the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions
(ODPP), National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC), Parliament and
various cases before the courts both concluded and active,” reads NIA
statement.
Among the matters allegedly to be coined with the aspirants are gross misconduct, abuse of power, graft allegations, and violation of the Kenyan Constitution among other matters.
Meanwhile, the High court has already directed the transfer of one case involving former Nairobi governor Mike Sonko to Chief Justice Martha Koome for purposes of impaneling and expanding the bench to hear and determine it alongside the other related matters.
