IEBC clears Candidates for Seats.

Nyani Ngabu,

Degree hitch hits aspirants for governor



By NATION TEAM newsdesk@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Thursday, January 31 2013 at 22:30

In Summary

• Six hopefuls fail to get IEBC clearance due to queries over their papers and are referred to varsities commission

State House was on Thursday drawn into the wrangle surrounding nominations in Transport minister Amos Kimunya's Kipipiri constituency, as elsewhere five aspirants for governor faced the prospect of being locked out of the General Election.


Housing minister Mr Soita Shitanda (Kakamega, New Ford Kenya) had a narrow escape last night, but Mr Abdallah Mwaruwa (Mombasa, TNA), Mr Joel Gesuka (Trans Nzoia), Mr Patrick Khaemba (Trans Nzoia, Ford Kenya), and Mr Jack Ranguma (Kisumu, ODM), were among aspirants who encountered road blocks in presenting their documents to the electoral commission.

In Kipipiri, Mr Samuel Gichigi overcome several hurdles and was eventually cleared. First, his nomination papers were rejected after an official from the Alliance Party of Kenya sent a letter alleging he had not been cleared.

Mr Gichigi crossed to the party led by Energy minister Kiraitu Murungi after losing out to Mr Kimunya in contentious nominations for presidential candidate Uhuru Kenyatta's The National Alliance.

As he sought nomination, Mr Gichigi said Returning officer Acenia Njoroge showed him a letter from APK chairman Titus Imbui saying the party had not cleared him.

However the leter was on the letterhead of the non-existent PNU Alliance.

Later, Ms Beatrice Elechi, the APK secretary-general, said there had been concerted efforts by people claiming to be from State House seeking to have Mr Gichigi's candidature withdrawn.

State House pressure

Mr Murungi confirmed that he had received reports from party officials about the State House pressure.

"I was told by my party secretariat that State House was calling to say that he (Gichigi) should not be given papers...Even if Kimunya is our friend, we cannot bend the rules to favour him."

Mr Murungi doubted that President Kibaki would resort to such methods.

The head of the Presidential Press Service Isaiah Kabira also denied that State House was exerting any pressure.

Elsewhere, former Law Society of Kenya chairman Okong'o O'Mogeni learnt that he will have to wait after the High Court in Nairobi ruled that the IEBC should hear afresh his complaint against the nomination of Mr Abuya Abuya for the Nyamira senate seat on an ODM ticket.

In Kakamega, Mr Shitanda was cleared after five hours while electoral officials finally authenticated his degree certificate.

The minister had been blocked by the United Democratic Front during the party primaries on the basis that the university from which he obtained his degree was not recognised.

In Mombasa, Mr Mwaruwa's clearance was put on ice after officials of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission found out that he had a master's degree but no bachelor's degree.

He was referred to the Commission for University Education, which will determine the validity of his documents. He will be given another chance before 4.30pm on Friday.

The law states that one needs to be a holder of a degree from a university recognised in Kenya to run for the seat.

In Trans Nzoia, Mr Gesuka and Mr Khaemba, who want the governorship, were asked to get clearance letters from the Commission for Higher Education

After his hard-fought fight for the Orange Democratic Movement ticket for Kisumu, Mr Ranguma was also asked to get a clearance letter from the universities' commission.

Kisumu County electoral commission returning officer Dolly Akili said she had not blocked the nomination of the candidate, but would wait for the aspirant to present his papers again on Friday.

Ms Ruth Odinga, who dropped her governorship bid to become Mr Ranguma's running mate, was cleared.

It was a surprise of a different sort for Ms Susan Owino, who was seeking the women's representative seat for Migori on an ODM ticket.

Ms Owino was told that Ms Danita Ghati was the party's legitimate candidate.

In Kimilili, both Mr Nicholas Toywa and Mr John Wenyaa presented certificates to the elections coordinator.

The electoral commission eventually cleared Mr Toywa whose name was on the party nomination list.

Mr Wenyaa's supporters took to the streets in protest and were confronted by the police.

The presentation of papers in other parts of the country went on smoothly. It ends Friday, setting the stage for campaigns 31 days to March 4.

Degree hitch hits aspirants for governor - CAMPAIGN NEWS - elections.nation.co.ke

IEBC denies aspirants clearance


By Anthony Gitonga

The Independent, Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) locked out several political aspirants for failing to meet requirements for clearance.

Among those denied the green light was former cooperative's Permanent Secretary Patrick Khaemba (New Ford -Kenya),Jack Raguma (ODM), both gunning for governor's seats in Trans Nzoia and Kisumu.

Mr Edwin Yinda, who was seeking the Alego-Usonga parliamentary seat, was also locked out. In Mombasa, former MD Kenya Ports Authority Abdalla Mwaruwa (TNA, Mombasa gubernatorial seat) was also turned away because he did not have a clearance certificate from the Commission for Higher Educations (CHE).

Certify

The same applied to Khaemba and Raguma who have until on Friday to clear with the CHE in Nairobi and dash back to present their certificates.

In Turkana Central, IEBC co-ordinator George Omondi said Mr Abok Ilikwel, a former Kenya Airports Authority sergeant, did not adhere to the Commission's deadline on resignations.

An aspirant vying for the gubernatorial seat in Murang'a County was turned away due to lack of a letter certifying his degree as genuine. Mr Julius Kaberere could not raise a document to certify the degree he held was from an institution recognised by the Commission for Higher Education.

And in Naivasha, the tribunal revoked the nominations of parliamentary candidate John Karanja and Esther Njeri after listening to petitions presented to them.

Standard Digital News - Kenya : IEBC denies aspirants clearance

Joy as IEBC clears aspirants for various seats




By Standard Team



NAIROBI; KENYA: The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) kicked off clearance of nominees vying for various seats in county government. The commission's 290 Constituency Electoral Coordinators and 47 county officials received nomination papers from candidates at IEBC offices.

In Nairobi, the two-day exercise started yesterday on a high note with various candidates getting IEBC approval to contest for Governor and Senator seats. County Returning Officer Fiona Waithaka cleared ODM candidates Evans Kidero and Bishop Margaret Wanjiru to run for Governor and Senator positions respectively.

Waithaka also cleared Senate seat aspirants Gidion Mbuvi (TNA), Okiya Omtata (Ford Kenya), Bishop Bonifes Adoyo (Labour Party of Kenya) and David Kinyua (APK).

Rachel Shebesh (TNA), Irene Kasalu (Ford Kenya), Rahab Wangui (Wiper Party), Tabitha Wanjira (Narc-Kenya) and Mary Mudachi (Ford People) were also cleared to vie for Women Representative position.

Former Nyeri Town MP Wanyiri Kihoro was cleared to contest Nairobi governor post as an independent candidate.

Soft copies
Kasulu and Omtata had earlier been turned away after they failed to present some key documents.

Kidero's rival Ferdinand Waititu (TNA) was also cleared yesterday evening. Mr Jimnah Mbaru (APK) and Philip Kisia (FPK) will present their papers today.

In Nakuru, former AP commandant Kinuthia Mbugua was cleared to contest the county's governor position on TNA ticket. Others who were cleared included senatorial candidates Dr Omondi Ogada (ODM), Jayne Kihara (Narc Kenya) and Joseph Mambo (GNU). In Homa Bay, Immigration minister Otieno Kajwang' was cleared to run for the county's Senate seat on ODM ticket. The stage was set for a gruelling battle in Makueni Senate seat bid after Education minister Mutula Kilonzo (Wiper) and former Kilome MP Harun Mwau (Pick) got IEBC's clearance yesterday.

Electoral commission also cleared Prof Kivutha Kibwana, Lt Gen Jones Mutwii, Dr Peter Kilonzo and former Makueni MP Peter Maundu (TIP) to vie for the county's governor seat.

Controversial politician Mary Wambui was cleared in Nyeri to vie for Othaya parliamentary seat. Kamukunji parliamentary hopeful Yusuf Hassan (TNA) and Starehe parliamentary seat hopeful Maina Kamanda (TNA) were also cleared.

Meanwhile, Nyando Constituency has come up with a campaign programme aimed at curbing violence. Constituency's Returning Officer David Mbui said they have asked three candidates to come up with campaign schedules.

–– Reports by Roselyne Obala, Karanja Njoroge, James Omoro, Onesmus Nzioka, Daniel Nzia, Job Weru, Allan Kisia, Felix Olick and Mangoa Mosota.

Standard Digital News - Kenya : Joy as IEBC clears aspirants for various seats