The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has rejected a request by President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee party to oversee its primaries.
Speaking on Thursday evening, new IEBC boss Wafula Chebukati announced that the commission would provide ballot boxes and a limited number of officers to guide the party on how the nominations would be conducted.
“The resources will be for the political party to provide, ballot papers will be done by the party… we shall only advise them on the framework. Returning officers will also be provided by Jubilee,” Chebukati stated.
Chebukati, who was speaking on the final day of the Fourth Annual Devolution Conference in Naivasha, maintained that IEBC was ready for the August 8 election.
The latest announcement by IEBC will be a setback to the Jubilee Party which had promised aspirants that the nominations would be conducted by the electoral body.
Deputy President William Ruto had stated that if Jubilee nominations were carried out by the IEBC, it would guarantee fairness to those eyeing different seats under the ruling coalition.
Jubilee Secretariat Head Raphael Tuju had earlier indicated that the electoral body had agreed to oversee the party's primaries which now appears not to be the case.
