Tabitha Karanja fails to provide the required Senatorial documents to IEBC

Nakuru senatorial aspirant Tabitha Karanja will have to appear before the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) again after failing to present all the required documents required for clearance to take part in the August 9 elections.

According to the Keroche Breweries Chief Executive Officer (CEO), during the initial verification and clearance exercise on Monday, she forgot to present her United Democratic Alliance (UDA) nomination certificate.

For a senator candidate, IEBC requires one to submit a nomination certificate from a fully registered political party. The document also has to be signed by an authorized official of the party.

Aside from the hitch with the certificate, Karanja was also flagged for paying the nomination fee amount required from male aspirants, as opposed to the subsidized amount for women candidates.

Tabitha Karanja Keroche speaking to reporters during the unveiling of Susan Kihika's 2022 gubernatorial running mate on May 16, 2022 Pulse Live Kenya

Tabitha Karanja overpaid for her candidature

Male aspirants are supposed to pay Sh50,000 while women, youth, and People Living With Disabilities (PLWDs) have to part with Sh25,000.

"I wrote a bankers cheque with an amount meant for male senatorial candidates instead of female category," read her tweet in part.

The decision to waive the nomination fees came about after numerous requests from women, youth and PLWDs.

In a press conference on March 23, 2022 IEBC Vice-chairperson Juliana Cherera publicly announced the new directive as well as reiterated that the commission will support all the special interest groups.

UDA's Nakuru senator candidate Tabitha Karanja Keroche on the campaign trail on May 29, 2022 Pulse Live Kenya

“As IEBC, we understand the economic position of women and the many things that we have to do in this society to help increase their numbers on the ballot,” she said.

Karanja will now have to appear before the IEBC once again today, May 31 with all the necessary documents if she hopes to secure her name on the ballot.