POLITICAL parties will today shift their focus on settling disputes that have arisen from the just concluded nominations ahead of presenting their nominees to the electoral commission on Monday.
IEBC chairman Issack Hassan on Thursday said that that all disputes arising from the party nominations must be lodged, heard and concluded through political parties disputes resolution mechanisms between today and Monday.
Hassan said that any aggrieved contestant may lodge a complaint with the Commission on the January 22 by 5 pm by filling the prescribed form provided for in the Elections Rules and Procedures.
"Prior to lodging the complaint, the contestant/party must have exhausted all Political Party internal disputes resolution mechanisms as provided in the respective political parties Constitutions and the nomination rules. The Commission will adjudicate and determine on all such disputes by 25 January 2013," Hassan said.
The electoral boss added that all political parties must submit their final list of the nominees to his office in Nairobi by 5 pm on Monday.
IEBC also said that it will strictly implement the electoral laws and will not spare last minute defectors and those who violate the legal requirements.
As the leading political parties concluded their primaries, the Registrar of Political parties Lucy Ndung'u asked aspirants to adhere to all laws or else risk being locked out. "We shall stick to the law and the existing legal provisions are very clear," said Ndung'u.
The Commission, she said, would be guided by Article 38 of the Constitution on political rights, Section 14 of the Political Parties Act that among other provisions, bars a person from being a member of more than one political party at the same time.
Ndung'u also reminded the parties of the Elections Act Section 13 that provides that the primaries must be held at least 45 days before a General Election.
The Act also provides that the political party cannot not change the candidate nominated after the nomination of that person has been received by the IEBC.
IEBC is set to receive the nomination documents from candidates from January 29 to February 1. Ndung'u's statement was also a veiled threat to party hoppers who will present the documents from a party which they do not belong.
Those who engage in electoral malpractices may be barred from elections as well as face prosecution in a Court of Law.
A number of aspirants including Nairobi governor aspirant Philip Kisia and Mombasa ODM senate aspirant Hassan Omar decamped to the Federal Party of Kenya (FPK) and Wiper Democratic Movement respectively citing interference by Orange headquarters. Others who decamped were former MPs Peter Mwathi and Robert Monda who defected to Narc from TNA.
Comments Post a comment