Nominations for candidates of political parties ended midnight on Friday January 18 2013. Who is an Independent Candidate in Kenya. Who is an Independent Candidate in Kenya. The primaries were largely chaotic, not much different from the 2007 nominations. The article by Ken Flottman, ‘The long road to internal democracy’ in The Star on the nominations in November 2007, fits the 2013 process almost perfectly.
Constitution of Kenya
85. Eligibility to stand as an independent candidate
Any person is eligible to stand as an independent candidate for election if the person –
(a) is not a member of a registered political party and has not been a member for at least three months immediately before the date of the election; and
(b) satisfies the requirements of–
(i) Article 99 (1) (c) (i) or (ii), in the case of a candidate for election to the National Assembly or the Senate, respectively; or
(ii) Article 193 (1) (c) (ii), in the case of a candidate for election to a county assembly.
In December 2012 I had written a blogpost, titled lipstick on pigs, on the unrealistic expectation of a democratic process from undemocratic political parties. I however felt it was too critical and removed it.
The new constitution has provided a way to bypass the chaos in political parties. Independent candidates are eligible for the elections. Independent candidates must not have been members of a political party 3 months prior to the elections and must meet all the other the requirements of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC); set by the constitution and corresponding acts of parliament.
This week, January 19 – 24, the independent candidates will be collecting signatures of supporters; registered voters in their respective electoral units; 500 for county assembly ward representatives, 1,000 for members of parliament, 2,000 for senators and 500 for governors.
Registered voters can still participate in the nomination process by supporting independent candidates, until Thursday this week.
I will be supporting Charles Wanguhu an independent candidate for the Kileleshwa County Assembly Ward.
