Why we never submitted nominated members' list to IEBC - FORD Asili

FORD Asili Secretary-general Njeru Gathangu. [Jenipher Wachie, Standard]

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has revealed that two political parties out of 83 failed to submit their party lists.

The deadline, IEBC says, was on Saturday, June 25, 2022, at midnight.

The lists consist of names of candidates nominated to either the bi-cameral parliament or county assemblies. The law requires parties to submit it before election day.

In a statement, IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati said FORD Asili and Ukweli party did not submit their party lists.

“The Commission confirms that, by midnight of 25th June 2022, it had received party lists from 81 Political Parties out of the 83 cleared to participate in the 2022 General Election. The two Political Parties that did not submit their party lists are: - Forum for Republican Democracy (Ford Asili) and Ukweli Party,” read the statement in part.

Speaking to The Standard, FORD Asili Secretary-general Njeru Gathangu said the party had few candidates and felt sidelined.

“We could not submit our party list because we have very few candidates. The IEBC Chairman has put so much emphasis on giant parties like ODM and Jubilee at the expense of smaller parties like ours. That is why we saw no need,” said Gathangu.

IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati. [Samson Wire, Standard]

Ukweli party’s CEO Martin Njuguna, on the other hand, said the party opted out of the process as it has only ten candidates countrywide and stood no chance of getting finance allocation.

“We have very few candidates running for elective seats in this election, say about ten. The chances of us getting any allocation is very low because the formula is based on how many seats a party clinches. The process of getting the candidates itself is expensive and time-consuming. Remember they must have specific qualities. It is not easy for a small party,” said Njuguna.

Article 90 of the Constitution of Kenya 2010 provides for the election of seats through party lists nominated by political parties represented in Parliament and County assemblies. These seats are allocated in proportion to the total number of seats won by candidates in a political party during a general election.

The list is categorized as follows:

12 members nominated to the National Assembly to represent special interests including the youth, persons with disability and workers, 16 women members nominated to the Senate, two members, being one man and one woman, nominated to the Senate representing the youth, two members, being one man and one woman, nominated to the Senate representing persons with disabilities, special seat members necessary to ensure that no more than two-thirds of the membership of a country Assembly are of the same gender and members nominated to a County Assembly from marginalized groups including persons with disabilities and the youth.

IEBC has said it will review the lists submitted in a fortnight and allow parties to make corrections, where necessary, in seven days.