Fourteen individuals who were seeking the Sh1.4 million a month job at the East African Legislative Assembly (Eala) have been locked out of the race for failing to present one thousand signatures to back their candidature.
The joint nomination exercise presided over by the clerks of the National Assembly and the Senate yesterday turned away the 14 candidates who wanted to vie as independents for lack of verified voters’ signatures.
The law requires independent candidates to present signatures of 1,000 voters in their respective constituencies or 2,000 registered voters in a county.
The affected candidates claimed they were not aware of the requirement of signatures and unsuccessfully tried to ask for more time to comply.
Jeremiah Nyegenye, the clerk of the Senate and his National Assembly counterpart Samuel Njoroge 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,” Mr Nyegenye said.
The presiding officers also handed provisional nomination papers to 15 aspirants who will fight out for the five slots that have been allocated to the ruling Kenya Kwanza alliance.
The opposition Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition 12 candidates were also handed provisional nomination certificates to fight for the four slots allocated to it.
Kenya has nine representatives to the Eala who 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 Kenya Kwanza.
The alliance has picked former MPs Abdikadir Aden, David Sankok, Iringo Kubai, Zipora Kering and Hassan Omar.
The Eala membership is expected to hit 63 with the recent entry of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
