The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has issued an ultimatum to Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka to resubmit his documents by 9 am on Sunday, May 29, if he seeks to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta in the August 9 poll.
In a letter dated Saturday, May 28, IEBC chairperson Wafula Chebukati noted that Kalonzo submitted the list of signatures from voters supporting his bid in PDF format instead of Excel format as stipulated by the commission.
Chebukati also affirmed that the list initially ought to have been submitted to the electoral agency by Wednesday, May 25.
Bomas of Kenya on Monday, May 23, 2022
"However, by the said deadline, Wiper party had submitted all requirements except for the softcopy version of the list of supporters, which was submitted in PDF format and not Excel," read part of the letter.
The Commission chair stated that he had affirmed to all presidential aspirants to submit the list of supporters in both hardcopy and softcopy in Excel format.
The electoral board also extended the deadline from Thursday, May 19 to Wednesday, May 25 to give the aspirants adequate time to comply.
In a rejoinder, the Wiper party's National Elections Board issued a statement, clarifying that they had complied and submitted the required documents on Wednesday, May 25.
"We wish to clarify that transforming the signatures to another electronic format is within the facilitative mandate of the IEBC under Article 88 of The Constitution of the Republic of Kenya.
"Further, reporting on a process that political parties understand to be incomplete within the IEBC’s own timelines is not only unprofessional but is incorrect and in absolute bad faith," read part of the statement.
Wiper Party’s National Elections Board (NEB) chairperson Agatha Solitei also disputed a section of the media that had already stated that Kalonzo had been disqualified from the race due to non-compliance.
"We the Wiper Democratic Movement Party Elections Board, while taking great exception with this nature of reporting, remind the Fourth and Fifth Estates of their crucial role in the promotion of honest and accurate reportage, and remind them that we are bound by the electoral code of conduct at all times while discharging our constitutional rights," Solitei stated.
Kalonzo announced his presidential bid on Monday, May 16, after he missed out on the bid to deputize Azimio la Umoja presidential flagbearer, Raila Odinga.
