NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 5 – The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission on Monday began hearing nomination complaints hours before the 5pm deadline set for their filing.
At the start of the exercise, IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati identified what complaints qualified, making clear that they would restrict themselves to complaints relating to the nomination clearance exercise which concluded Friday and not the party primaries.
Complaints relating to the party primaries were heard by the Political Parties Dispute Tribunal; a distinction made on the advice of the courts to remedy an overlap of mandate that characterised the last General Election.
At the start of the exercise Monday, Chebukati specified that the Commission would limit itself to complaints related to contention over the qualification of those cleared to contest the August polls such as conviction of an electoral offence in the last General Election.
Others include: “complaints that the conduct of the nomination process was invalid, the returning officer did not accept nomination according to the rules, with respect to independent candidates, that the candidate failed to get the required number of registered voters supporting his candidacy or was nominated as a member of a political party.”