Political analysts are now raising concerns about the high number of independent presidential candidates that have thrown their hats into the ring.
With less than three months to the polls, some argue that a section of the candidates has been planted onto the ballot to cause confusion and dent the fortunes of top contenders in the race.
The issue was first raised by Amani National Congress (ANC) leader Musalia Mudavadi at the beginning of May accusing Azimio la Umoja of hatching a scheme to rig out Deputy President William Ruto through independents.
“What we are reading from the scenarios is that they want to spoil Deputy President William Ruto’s votes. Some of the Independent contenders are projects of dividing the presidential votes for Ruto.
"This is because it has never been thought that there could be so many candidates vying for the top seat as independents in our electoral history,” argued Mudavadi
His sentiments have been backed up by political analyst Professor Gitile Naituli who argued that the deep state was attempting to make the Presidential ballot big to confuse some voters.
He further claimed that a majority of the 38 independent Presidential contenders had not launched a serious campaign since announcing their intentions to run.
"The Presidential and I think the Government is playing games. I don't think any of those people is a serious candidates and I think that is where the deep state goes to sponsor some people to make the Presidential ballot big and confuse the voters. I think it is a scheme," Naituli, former Commissioner with NCIC told NTV
Prof Masibo Lumala of Moi University also cast his doubts over the candidates' true intentions noting that he believed some had questionable sponsorship source behind their bids.
"Are they having sponsorship behind the scenes that we do not know because they are not campaigning? I have not heard them come out strongly and say they are seeking our vote. I am not sure they are going very far as long as this question of independents goes," argued Lumala.
Reuben Kigame, who is vying for the top office as an independent candidate, however, defended the high number of hopefuls claiming that it signified distrust in the current government by the masses.
"When you see this high number of candidates, it is a reaction. People re saying anyone is better than the current government," he explained.
The Registrar of Political Parties Anne Nderitu has cleared 38 independent presidential candidates, with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) slated to host all the cleared presidential contenders at Bomas of Kenya on Monday, May 23.
