EACC flags 241 aspirants, wants them barred

EACC Chief Executive Officer Twalib Mbarak. [David Njaaga, Standard]

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has flagged 241 aspirants vying for various seats who it accuses of contravening Chapter Six of the Constitution.

Three presidential and deputy presidential aspirants, 61 governor and deputy governor aspirants, six Senate aspirants, 19 woman representative aspirants, 58 MP aspirants and 94 MCA aspirants are in the list.

EACC Chief Executive Officer Twalib Mbarak, in a letter to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chief Executive Officer Marjan Hussein, said some of the aspirants had been convicted while others had failed the integrity test.

“Requirements for a person to qualify as a candidate for different elective positions are set out in various laws including the Constitution, Elections Act, Leadership and Integrity Act and various subsidiary legislation which these aspirants have not met,” said Mr Mbarak.

The EACC CEO said anyone seeking public office must display honesty in conduct of public affairs subject to the Public Officer Ethics Act, not engage in what amount to abuse of office, accurately and honestly present information to the public.

Mr Mbarak said the aspirants should not engage in wrongful conduct in furtherance of personal benefit. He warned against misuse public resources and falsification of any records.

He said aspirants should not have engaged in actions which would lead to removal from membership of a professional body in accordance with the law and not commit offences and in particular, any of those under the Penal Code, the Sexual Offences Act and Counter-Trafficking in Persons Act.