IEBC to crack a whip on rogue politicians ahead of August polls

juma chrispinus

March 23, 2017 8:54 AM

IEBC offices in Nairobi, will have a full-time dedicated staff to verify documents, research and investigate aspirants, beginning next week.

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The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) will freshly be vetting various people vying for elective posts ahead of August polls amid claims of electoral forgery.

The IEBC has said that it will set up a strong inter-departmental team to vet aspirants, in a protracted and executive interference reports in the political processes in the recent past.

The team, whose command centre will be stationed at IEBC offices in Nairobi, will have a full-time dedicated staff to verify documents, research and investigate aspirants, beginning next week.

The staff attached to the facility will be composed of officers from the host IEBC, Office of the Registrar of Political Parties, Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, and Justice Department in a concerted effort to root out rogue and politicians who fall short of integrity tests.

“The command centre will enhance the collaboration in the enforcement of Chapter Six on integrity and other relevant laws, as well as provide an integrated effective mechanism to resolve issues of leadership,” IEBC’s chair Wafula Chebukati said.

The collaborating institutions are set to start by publishing fresh guidelines on compliance with leadership and integrity requirements in the 2017 election. Chapter Six of the constitution, however, has a spelt out of the integral requirements before one can run for office.

The team will also give priority to verification of information on aspirants. IEBC’s Chebukati said the collaborating institutions would be encouraging political parties to nominate candidates, who meet the leadership and integrity threshold only.

Earlier, Jubilee Party turned down the request by former Mungiki sect leader Maina Njenga, citing integrity issues. Njenga sued the party and has since been accepted in the party as at yesterday (Wednesday).

“The requirements under Chapter Six and Election laws involve various state and non-state agencies. And that is why we came up with the resolutions to work together,” Chebukati said.

On his part, Attorney General Prof Githu Muigai warned the executive and politicians against interfering with the election process.

“I’m not aware the executive has interfered with the election process. It would be an offence for any person to interfere with the law,” Muigai said.

There has been allegation last week that a senior officer at state house aided Nairobi gubernatorial hopeful Mike Sonko acquire his clearance certificate from the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI).

juma chrispinus