Headache over longest ballot paper in State House contest

The presidential election is likely to present a logistical nightmare for the electoral agency, which will have to print the longest ballot paper.

By yesterday midnight, the Registrar of Political Parties had cleared 47 independent candidates to contest for the presidency.

In addition to this number is presidential hopefuls being sponsored by political parties, including Deputy President William Ruto, ODM leader Raila Odinga and businessman Jimi Wanjigi.

If those who have presented themselves for the top seat are all cleared by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), the country will have the largest number of presidential candidates at 53.

Yesterday, 7,213 aspirants had been cleared to vie in the August 9 General Election.

Besides the 47, 106 were given the green light to vie for the governor's seat, 147 to seek the Senate seat, 110 Woman Rep position, 958 MPs and 5,845 for MCAs.

Presentation of nomination papers to IEBC by presidential candidates in political parties and independents will take place from May 29 to June 6.

“The nomination papers shall be delivered by the candidates, to the IEBC Chair Wafula Chebukati between 8.00 am and 4.00 pm at a place designated by the Commission,” read a statement by the IEBC. 

With this comes the logistical nightmare considering that each candidate will be required to be monitored by the polls agency to ensure that they conduct their campaigns in line with the Constitution.

Each presidential candidate and their running mate are also supposed to be provided with 24-hour security.

Immediately after their nomination papers are received and certificates handed over to them, they become candidates under IEBC rudder and anything that happens to them becomes the concern of the commission.

"A presidential election shall be canceled and a new election held if (b) a candidate for election as President or Deputy President dies on or before the scheduled election date; or (c) a candidate who would have been entitled to be declared elected as President dies before being declared elected as President," reads the law.

Given the big number of the aspirants, the Inspector General of Police will be expected to provide hundreds of police officers to guard the candidates.

Symbols confusion

The official campaign period for the General Election will start on May 29 and end on August 6, two days to the polls.

Another challenge if all the 53 presidential aspirants are cleared will be the confusion over symbols for party and independent candidates.

Voters will have to take time to read through the ballot paper for their preferred candidate, thus delaying the voting process.

According to the Constitution, one is eligible to be president if he is a Kenyan citizen by birth, or qualified to stand for election as a Member of Parliament.

A person is not qualified for nomination as a presidential candidate if they have dual citizenship.

The presidential candidates are expected to be registered voters who must meet the moral and ethical requirements under the Leadership and Integrity Act. They must be of sound mind or must not have been subjected to a sentence of imprisonment of at least six months from the date of registration of candidates.

Candidates are required to pay a nomination fees of Sh200,000, and Sh100,000 for an aspirant who is a youth, a woman, or a person living with a disability.