Kenya’s electoral body has set Tuesday, May 18, 2021, as the date when it will hold by-elections for Member of the Senate, Garissa County, Members of the National Assembly, Bonchari and Juja Constituencies.
In a gazette notice, Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairman Wafula Chebukati also scheduled a by-election for Member of Rurii County Assembly ward, Nyandarua County, for the same date.
All the four seats fell vacant following the death of elected leaders Yusuf Haji (Garissa), Oroo Oyioka (Bonchari), Francis Munyua Waititu (Juja) and John Mburu Githinji ‘Wamaria’ (Rurii).
Senator Yusuf Haji and MP Oroo Oyioka died on February 15. Juja MP Francis Waititu passed on a week later after a long battle with cancer.
On the other hand, the Rurii Ward MCA passed on in January this year.
Chebukati has asked each political party intending to participate in the by-elections to submit the names of the persons contesting in party primaries and the date of the party primaries on or before
Monday, March 8, 2021.
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“A public officer who intends to contest in the by-election shall resign from public office within seven (7) days of the declaration of the vacancy by the Speaker, ” said Chebukati in the notice dated February 26.
“The Commission shall publish, in the Gazette, the names of the persons contesting in a party primary and the date of the party primary within seven (7) days of receipt of the names of the
candidates.”
Candidates intending to participate in the by-elections as independent candidates shall not have been members of any political party at least three (3) months immediately before the date of the by-elections.
Political parties intending to present candidates in the by-elections shall, after its primaries resolve all intra-party disputes and submit the list of persons nominated to contest in the election
to the Commission on or before Monday, March 22 2021.
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“Political parties intending to present candidates in this election through direct nominations shall submit the list of persons nominated to contest in this election to the Commission on or before Monday, 22nd March, 2021, ” said IEBC.
Candidates intending to participate in the by-elections as independent candidates are required to submit their names and symbols that they intend to use during the by-elections for purposes of nomination of independent candidates to the Commission on or before Monday, March 8, 2021.
“The days for the nomination of political party candidates and independent candidates for the by-elections shall be on Monday, 29th March, 2021 and Tuesday, 30th March, 2021 and the nomination papers shall be delivered by the candidates to the respective Returning Officer between the hours of eight o’clock in the morning and one o’clock in the afternoon and between the hours of two o’clock and four o’clock in the afternoon at the place designated by the Commission, ” added IEBC.
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“The campaign period for purposes of the Tuesday, 18th May, 2021 by-election shall commence on Monday, 29th March, 2021 and cease on Saturday, 15th May, 2021 being 48 hours before the by-election day.”
The campaign time shall run from 7.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. during the campaign period.
“The registration and revision of the register of voters for the said electoral areas is suspended until Monday, 31st May, 2021, ” said IEBC.
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