Returning officers told to act tough as by-election date set

By NATION Reporter and correspondent
Posted Wednesday, August 18 2010 at 22:30

The electoral commission has directed returning officers in the four constituencies where by-elections are due to disqualify candidates who will break elections laws.

The Interim Independent Electoral Commission issued the warning after announcing the dates for Starehe and Wajir South constituencies by-elections.

Starehe constituency will elect its new MP on September 20, the same day as Juja and Makadara. Commission boss Ahmed Issack Hassan said this was for logistical reasons and convenience.

Political parties wishing to field candidates for the Starehe seat have until next Monday to conduct primaries. Nominations will take place between August 25 and 26, said Mr Hassan.

Wajir South will hold its by-election on October 13. Political parties have been asked to finalise their primaries on or before September 6 while the IIEC has set September 16 and 17 as the dates for nominations.

In his address to reporters at the Commission’s Anniversary Tower offices on Wednesday, Mr Hassan asked the returning officers in the four constituencies to uphold a high degree of integrity.

Maintain discipline

“We have set the standards so high and you cannot afford to lower them,” Mr Hassan told returning officers Peter Muigai Kamau and Abdi Sheikh Mohammed for Starehe and Wajir South respectively.

“You must maintain the same discipline, integrity and transparency to the satisfaction of all Kenyans.” On the conduct of candidates, Mr Hassan warned that the commission would not take chances this time around.

“We are sending out a warning to all the candidates in the forthcoming by-elections including the civic candidates that they must stick to the electoral code of conduct.”

Starehe and Wajir South constituencies fell vacant after the High Court nullified the election of Bishop Margaret Wanjiru and Mr Abdirahman Ali Hassan respectively.

In December 2007, Bishop Wanjiru was declared the winner with 29,496 votes against Mr Maina Kamanda’s 28,601. But a scrutiny found Mr Kamanda in the lead with 49,310 against the bishop’s 34,874.

Mr Justice Luka Kimaru cited massive irregularities and electoral malpractices during the elections in 2007 in his July 16 verdict on Wajir South petition.

In the results announced by returning officer Ibrahim Hish, Mr Hassan garnered 4,444 votes against Mr Sirat’s 4,017. Eleven candidates vied for the seat in 2007.