Fourteen politicians who were seeking to represent Kenya at the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) have been locked out of the race for failing to meet the required one thousand signatures threshold.
The nomination exercise officiated by the clerks of the National Assembly and the Senate yesterday rejected 14 candidates who were looking for the positions as independents for lack of verified voters’ signatures.
The law stipulates that candidates looking for the Sh1.4 million a month job must present signatures of 1,000 voters from their respective constituencies or 2,000 registered voters in a county.
The candidates who were turned down claimed they were not aware of the requirement of signatures as their requests for more time to comply also hit a brick wall.
Samuel Njoroge, the National Assembly clerk and Jeremiah Nyegenye, and his Senate counterpart cleared Duncan Mwangi Ndegwa to run as an independent.
“Having looked at your documentation, we are satisfied that they are complete. I, therefore, issue Mr Duncan Mwangi Ndegwa a certificate of provisional nomination. You have met the requirements for nomination to Eala,” Nyegenye said.
Officers presiding over the exercise handed provisional nomination papers to 15 aspirants who will fight out for the five slots allocated to the Kenya Kwanza Alliance.
Twelve candidates allied to the opposition wing, Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition were also handed provisional nomination certificates to battle out for the four slots allocated to them.
Kenya has nine slots in the Eala parliament and the representatives will be elected by both Houses of Parliament on November 17.
National Assembly Majority leader Kimani Ichung’wah and Senate Majority leader Aaron Cheruiyot presented the names of Abdikadir Aden, David Sankok, Iringo Kubai, Zipora Kering and Hassan Omar to represent Kenya Kwanza Alliance.
The EALA membership will to hit 63 this year following the recent entry of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) into the East African Community block.
Azimio chief Raila Odinga has been at the centre of focus as the list of his coalition full of his kins including Winnie Odinga, his daughter, and Jaoko Oburu, his nephew.
