UDF voters cast their ballots for political party nominees at a polling station at Nabongo Primary School in Kakamega. Photo/Isaac Wale
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Most polling stations did not have ballot papers or ballot boxes late in the afternoon forcing TNA and the URP to extend the exercise in some counties.
Parties attributed the delay to late receipt of party registers from the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
Chaos, last minute defections and grievances over pay by clerks marked political party primaries Thursday as the electoral body pushed the deadline for submission of party lists from today to Monday.
Most polling stations, despite opening early, did not have ballot papers or ballot boxes late in the afternoon forcing The National Alliance (TNA) and the United Republican Party to extend the exercise in some counties to mid-day Friday.
Parties attributed the delay to late receipt of party registers from the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), which TNA said arrived at the headquarters at 3pm on Wednesday.
“We have taken trouble to even airlift materials to some polling stations. Due to this delay, we have decided to extend the nominations,” said TNA chairman Johnson Sakaja.
The complications had put parties that would not have concluded their primaries at risk of being shut out of the March 4 elections given that the lists were to be submitted to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) by close of business Friday.
In a statement last evening IEBC chairman Isaack Hassan said the extension was meant to allow parties resolve disputes arising from the chaotic nominations.
‘‘All disputes arising from the party nominations must be lodged, heard and concluded within a period of three days from 19th – 21st January 2013,’’ said Mr Hassan.
IEBC had earlier said the parties had taken for granted the logistics required to conduct the primaries that for some parties could be more decisive than the March 4 General Election.
The Elections Act stipulates that parties fielding candidates in a General Election must submit their lists of nominees to IEBC 45 days to elections.
“IEBC will not extend the deadline because this is a matter of law. We have no power to alter the law as passed by MPs,” said Thomas Letangule, a commissioner at IEBC.
He blamed political parties for pushing the nominations to the last minute in a cat-and-mouse game meant to deny aspirants an opportunity to defect to rivals.
The Orange Democratic Party (ODM) wrote on Wednesday to IEBC asking it to postpone the deadline for submitting party lists to January 24 to allow parties deal with anticipated appeals arising from the nominations.
“If parties give us names of their nominees, we will go ahead to print ballot papers,” said Mr Letangule.
He described Thursday’s nominations as “shambolic” saying parties were not prepared.
“They have no capacity to handle this exercise. It appears majority of them underestimated the scope of work, but we urge them to conduct free and fair nominations to minimise appeals,” he said.
In Nairobi, the fate of former Starehe MP Margaret Wanjiru to vie for Nairobi gubernatorial seat remained uncertain after her ODM party failed to clear her for the post for lack of requisite degrees.
Ms Wanjiru’s degrees in theology from a US university were not recognised by the Commission for Higher Education. Former Town Clerk Philip Kisia, who is eyeing the same seat, decamped from ODM to Federal Party of Kenya headed by former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo citing ‘manipulation.’
ODM, however, dismissed Mr Kisia’s claims, saying he did not apply to the party to be allowed to run on its ticket. In Mombasa, senate aspirant on ODM ticket Omar Hassan jumped to Wiper Democratic Movement, citing similar concerns.
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Note: The results are not exact but very close to the actual.
