State support sought for Kenya's presidential candidates in 2012

By WILLIS OKETCH
Parliamentary committee on Legal Affairs wants the State to finance presidential candidates after being nominated by their political parties.
Nominated MP George Nyamweya said the cost of hiring agents for presidential candidates runs into millions of shillings and most candidates cannot afford.
"For example, if a candidate has 60,000 agents in all 290 polling stations, he would be required to pay each Sh1,000 plus other expenses," said Nyamweya.
He said this at Serena Beach Hotel in Mombasa, yesterday, while giving a talk on the implication of the new Constitution for respective actors in the electoral and political arena.
"After being nominated the State should fund it, otherwise, only wealthy people will go for presidential seats," said Mr Nyamweya.
He argued that since the number of constituencies had increased from 210 to 290, it would be impossible for most candidates to moblise resources.
Allowance for agents"The Sh1000 I am talking about will be only the allowance of the candidate at the polling station excluding expenses such as transport and other things," said Nyamweya.
The meeting has been organised by the Parliamentary Committee on Legal Affairs to consult over how the reforms would be managed to suit the country before 2012 General Election.
The meeting is expected to come up with procedures and suggestion of the laws, which would be enacted to conform with the new Constitution before 2012.
Those attending the seminar include Legal Affairs Committee chairman Ababu Namwamba, Chairman of the Interim Independent Electoral Commission Issak Hassan and Andrew Ligale, chairman of the Interim Independent Boundaries Commission.
Nyamweya suggested that a law be enacted so that nomination of candidates by political parties be conducted by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
He said IEBC should be given powers to resolve some election disputes instead of leaving them to the courts, adding minor disputes occasioned by returning officers who announce wrong candidates as winners should be resolved by the electoral bodies.
The MP also suggested a law should be enacted empowering IEBC resolve party nomination disputes because money power had been major cause of violence during the parties nomination.
Nyamweya regretted that some election petition found their ways into courts and yet they were simple disputes, which should not be taken to court.
He cited a recent petition in Kirinyaga, where a returning officer admitted to having done such a mistake.