The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission has cleared four presidential hopefuls for the August polls among them ODM Leader Raila Odinga and Deputy President William Ruto
Addressing the press after the conclusion of the registration exercise on Monday, the commission’s chairman Wafula Chebukati says Agano party’s David Waihiga and his Roots Party counterpart George Wajackoyah were also cleared to run.
“The commission wishes to remind all candidates who are successful and those all over the country in the six elective positions to abide by the electoral code of conduct during the campaign period,” Chebukati stated
On the other hand, the nomination certificate for Umoja Summit Party Presidential candidate Walter Mong’are was revoked after he failed to honour summons to clarify his academic qualifications.
“As the returning officer of the presidential election, upon discovery of new information on Walter Mong’are as relates to lack of academic qualifications, I invited him to appear before me today at 2.00pm to clarify the issue. He failed to honour my invitation and pursuant to regulation 43 (2)c of the Election General Regulations, I hereby revoke the nomination certificate of Walter Mong’are of Umoja Summit Party,” he announced.
Chebukati had earlier on invited Mongare to shed light on his academic qualifications after Safina presidential aspirant Jimmy Wanjigi questioned how and why the commission cleared him without a degree certificate.
Mongare who was the first candidate to be cleared by the commission failed to show up, prompting the disqualification.
All the 40 independent presidential aspirants were disqualified on technical grounds such as lack of requisite signatures and academic qualifications.
This will be the lowest number of presidential candidates in August since the return of multi-partyism in 1992.