Registrar of Political Parties Wants Kalonzo Barred from Vying for Presidency

The Registrar of Political Parties has reportedly asked the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) not to clear Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka to vie for the presidency in the August 9th elections.

Musyoka on Monday announced his exit from the Azimio La Umoja-One Kenya coalition after its presidential flagbearer Raila Odinga settled on Nark-Kenya party leader Martha Karua as his running mate in the forthcoming elections.

He submitted his name to the electoral commission seeking to run for president on a Wiper party ticket, with Andrew Sunkuli as his running mate.

Citizen TV reports that the Registrar of Political Parties Anne Nderitu told IEBC that Kalonzo cannot run for the presidency on a Wiper party ticket since it is still a constituent party of the Azimio La Umoja-One Kenya coalition.
 
Sources at the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties disclosed that Wiper was yet to formally seek to exit the Odinga-led coalition, two months after signing up through its Secretary-General Shakila Abdalla’s signature.

Given that Odinga was named the Azimio La Umoja-One Kenya coalition party presidential flagbearer, it is impossible for any of the coalition’s 26 affiliate parties including Wiper to field another presidential candidate.

It also emerged that the agreement signed while forming the coalition bars constituent parties from abandoning the outfit six months to the general election or three months after the August 9th elections. Nderitu insists that due process must be followed by any party opting out of the coalition.

As such, the only options Kalonzo has is either to seek a court order to exit the coalition or be discharged by mutual consent by the party's leadership.

Citizen TV reports that IEBC is examining the legal consequences of Kalonzo’s bid to exit Azimio and is scheduled to meet all presidential candidates at the Bomas of Kenya for a pre-nominations session next week.

While unveiling Karua as his running mate, Odinga assigned Musyoka the role of Chief Minister, with powers to coordinate and supervise government affairs, should he clinch the presidency.