Kenya: Finally Election Date is Revealed

Nairobi Star (Nairobi)

Muigai Kiguru

24 June 2011

Interim Independent Election (IEB) announced August 13 as the date for the much awaited national polls. While making the announcement, IEB chairman Joe Okwach said the elections will involve a rigorous process to ensure they are held under in a strictly transparent manner.

The announcement of the date was welcomed by the various stakeholders, who, however, observed that it is not yet time to celebrate since anything could happen considering the previous incidents, where the IEB has failed to live to it’s promise as far as the polls are concerned. The process starts with the nomination of the legitimate clubs on July 11 and 12. “Each club will have a slot of three votes,” said Okwach. “After the nomination process, the IEB will vet the nominees on July 13 and 14 in a move that will be geared towards preparing a voters register.”

Those who will feel aggrieved with the outcome of the nominations and the vetting process will have July 18-22 to make their complaints to the newly formed appeals committee comprising of former Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) chairman Richard Omwela, Nairobi lawyer Julius Kemboi and veteran journalist Elina Shiveka.

“After deliberating and solving any complaints forwarded, the complaints committee will then prepare the final list of nominees on July 23 and 24,” said Okwach. “This will the give way to the campaigns period to run between July 25 and August 12.”

The IEB was also expected to release the amended Electoral Code later yesterday as well as the names of the clubs that will be entered in the voting register.”Eighteen branches spread across the country will take part in the elections,” said Okwach. He added that some of the clubs will be clustered in their geographical areas to help in the voting exercise. The board also distanced itself from the budgetary issues which they said is a mandate of the government through the ministry of sports and Fifa.

The release of the election date elicited mixed reactions from various stakeholders especially those eyeing the national chairman post. “I welcome the announcement of the election date and hope they are now fixed and will not change,” said Extreme Sports CEO Mohammed Hussein. “We must immediately start the rigorous process of vetting all clubs and ensure no ghost clubs participate in this process.” “It is extremely important that a detailed civic education exercise is carried out at every branch,” he added. “This electoral process should ensure that only individuals of high integrity are cleared for office as stipulated in our new constitution.”

Former Harambee Stars player Sammy Sholei, who is also eyeing that top seat, insisted that it is not time to celebrate and people should wait until the process kicks off. “I am not sure the elections will take place. I have lost a little trust and I hope no postponements will occur,” said Sholei. “Otherwise I am happy we have the date we can work with and can also budget our final runs.”

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