NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 17 – The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and Jubilee Party on Friday resolved to form a six-man team to further discuss supervising the party’s nominations.
The Head of the Secretariat Raphael Tuju says they will each contribute three persons to the team.
“We have agreed at the end of the meeting that we have a team of three from Jubilee to meet with a team of three from the IEBC, so that this matter can be discussed further and we look for common ground on outstanding issues,” Tuju told a media briefing after hosting IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati and his team at the Jubilee Party Headquarters.
Veronica Maina who together with Tuju will sit in the team said they will have their initial meeting on February 28.
“That is the first day to either agree whether to roll out the rules of engagement and the extent to which IEBC can be involved in the nominations. So on that day we shall be able to lay out a very short programme because we are constrained by time and the timelines that have been issued by the IEBC,” she said.
Confirming the formation of the team, Chebukati said they are currently working on party nomination guidelines and regulations.
“If we have the capacity to run a national election, then a party election will not be a problem. We are only talking about a small portion of people participating because, we are only using the party membership lists.”
“But we are talking about logistics, we are also talking about our timelines towards the August 8 General Election. We have a lot of things on the table, we have to do the verification of the voter register and a lot of work that is related to voter and civic education,” the poll agency chief stated.
Chebukati said the parties should prepare adequately to carry out their primaries in a free, fair and transparent manner.
He said the new commissioners have a lot on their plate as they strive to meet the strict deadlines ahead of the August 8 General Election.
Chebukati said that the law is clear on whether the IEBC will conduct the primaries for political parties, adding that the poll body is already overstretched.
During the official launch of the Jubilee Party – which is President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy, William Ruto, re-election vehicle – the President expressed optimism that the IEBC would conduct its primaries.
He said that the move would assure the contenders and their supporters of a free and fair process.
President Kenyatta pointed out that the Jubilee Party members had reached consensus to have the primaries conducted by IEBC to avoid cases of manipulation and fallout later on.
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