Aspirants seeking to vie as independent candidates in the August 8 General Election are a distressed lot after the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) rejected dozens of symbols.
According to sources, hundreds of candidates seeking clearance from the Registrar were turned back after the symbols they submitted did not meet the requisite requirements of uniqueness.
Some of the aspirants were at a loss saying that the process was tedious and their initial symbols had been rejected after being picked by a different candidate, had exclusive rights or were prohibited.
One such group is the Nyambene Miraa Traders Association (NYAMITA) which protested the Registrar's decision to reject the use of miraa images as a symbol.
NYAMITA spokesman Kimathi Munjuri alleged that the Registrar rejected the miraa symbol on grounds that it was classified as a drug.
“We are unable to understand why a miraa symbol is being rejected and request for your advice on this matter…We underline that miraa is a crop as per our laws,” lamented Munjuri.
Another aspirant who did not want to be named stated that his chicken symbol had been rejected for resembling KANU Party's symbol of a cockerel.
One other aspirant lamented that creating the unique symbols hours to the deadline in conjunction with the presentation of other requirements was a major hurdle to their political ambition.
According to the provisions of sections 32 and 33 of the Elections Act of 2011, independent candidates are required to submit unique symbols without resemblance to avoid conflict of interest.
Read also requirements For Independent Candidates Contesting in August General Elections
