Party hoppers to be barred in by-election

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By NATION CORRESPONDENT
Posted  Tuesday, August 21  2012 at  20:18

IN SUMMARY

• The electoral commission says the candidates will have to prove that they were in the party that sponsored them before August 15 when nominations were finalised.
• Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission corporate affairs manager Tabitha Mutemi said if one jumped ship to another party while still a member of another, they were unlikely to be cleared for the by-elections.
• In Kajiado North, aspirant Solomon Kinyanjui defected to Wiper Democratic Party after Mr Anthony Keen was granted a direct nomination by PNU a day before the deadline of August 15.

Aspirants in the just-concluded party nominations for next month’s by-election who have moved to other parties risk being blocked from the polls.

The electoral commission says the candidates will have to prove that they were in the party that sponsored them before August 15 when nominations were finalised.

Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission corporate affairs manager Tabitha Mutemi said if one jumped ship to another party while still a member of another, they were unlikely to be cleared for the by-elections.

Prove membership

“Political parties were to finalise their nominations on August 15. If one participated in the nominations it means they were members of the particular political party.

"If they (candidates) are nominated by another party, then they will have to prove that they were members of that party by August 15,” Ms Mutemi told the Nation on Tuesday.

Some of the candidates in Kangema and Kajiado North constituencies have moved to other parties after the nominations.

In Kajiado North, aspirant Solomon Kinyanjui defected to Wiper Democratic Party after Mr Anthony Keen was granted a direct nomination by PNU a day before the deadline of August 15. (READ: Aspirants set out to hunt for votes)

In Kangema, one of the TNA aspirants, Ms Ann Kirima, moved to Saba Saba Asili, a day after the nomination last Wednesday and received the party’s nod to participate in the by-election.

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