IEBC Gives Final Date for Naming Presidential Running Mates

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IEBC Chairperson Wafula Chebukati addresses the media at a press conference in August 2021
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The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairperson Wafula Chebukati on Tuesday, April 26 announced a new date for the naming of running mates by presidential candidates.

Speaking at the IEBC Headquarters in Nairobi, Chebukati announced the commission had set May 16, 2022, as the deadline for presidential and gubernatorial candidates to name running mates. 

The announcement came after the electoral body held a meeting with officials from political parties at IEBC offices. The parties had asked the IEBC to reconsider its earlier decision to gazette Thursday, April 28, as the deadline. 

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IEBC Chairperson Wafula Chebukati addresses the media at a press conference in August 2021
File

"The date for submission of the list for Presidential candidates and deputies as well as gubernatorial candidates and their deputies will be on May 16, 2022. Candidates seeking to vie for the seats as deputies will also be required to submit their names on the same date," reiterated the IEBC Chair.

In addition, candidates eyeing the presidential and gubernatorial seats will be required to produce clearance certificates from institutions mandated to ensure they are Chapter Six of the Constitution (the integrity of leaders) compliant.

"All these names will be submitted to Chapter Six institutions for due diligence," Chebukati stated.

However, IEBC maintained the deadline for the submission of names of aspirants eying senatorial, parliamentary, Woman representative and Members of the County Assembly seats remain Thursday, April 28.

Notably, Chebukati cautioned parties to ensure they take into consideration gender parity as dictated by the constitution when making their submissions.

"For political parties, remember that as you submit names, comply with the two-thirds gender rule and the Katiba Institute case which we have talked about in previous meetings," he added.

Chebukati extended the deadline for choosing a running mate after initially declaring that the commission would not give more time to presidential candidates.

In a response to a request by Raila Odinga to allow his team more time, Chebukati had argued that the IEBC was following the constitutionally set timelines and required ample time to prepare for the August 9 polls. 

He argued that the nomination of a running mate can not be separated from that of presidential candidates.

"If a person is nominated as a candidate for Deputy President outside party primaries having not gone through the nomination process with the presidential candidate, that person does not qualify to be nominated as a candidate for Deputy President for non-compliance with Article 99(1)(c) and Article 137(1)(c).

"The nomination of a candidate for President and Deputy President is conjoined and the process respecting the nomination of the two cannot be divorced from each other," IEBC explained.

ODM leader Raila Odinga (left) converses with Deputy President William Ruto (right) during the Jamhuri Day celebrations at Uhuru Gardens, Nairobi County on Sunday, December 12, 2021
ODM leader Raila Odinga (left) converses with Deputy President William Ruto (right) during the Jamhuri Day celebrations at Uhuru Gardens, Nairobi County on Sunday, December 12, 2021
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