IEBC blames Govt Printer for delay in gazetting candidates

The electoral agency has blamed the delay in the gazettement of August 9 General Election candidates on challenges at the Government Printer, saying the signed list was submitted to the institution on June 30.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairman Wafula Chebukati, while receiving the first batch of ballot papers at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), said the delay in the printing “is beyond our control."

IEBC says it submitted a list of 16,098 candidates contesting the 1,882 elective seats in Kenya.

“We submitted the list of candidates (contesting the August General Election) to the Government Printer on June 30. It is a list of 16,098 people. The Government Printer has been having challenges in finalising printing of the Gazette notice. It is bulky, with the data that is in the Gazette notice containing things like symbols of candidates,” said Mr Chebukati.

The IEBC boss, however, said the Gazette notice could be out by end of today (July 7).

“I am told they will have it out by end of business today. But as a commission, we submitted this on June 30 and what happened in the Government Printer is beyond our control. But we hope that by the end of the day, the Gazette notice will be out,” he said.

Challenged the printing of ballot papers

Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition’s Raila Odinga’s team has challenged the printing of ballot papers without the Gazette notice.

“As it stands, there is no legitimate list of candidates contesting in the elections,” said Mr Odinga’s lawyer Paul Mwangi.

IEBC received a total of 128 pallets at JKIA. These are 111 for the senate, 9 for governors and 8 for the Women Representative.

“We shall continue receiving the ballot papers up to July 29, which will be the last day of receiving the ballot papers,” he said.

Those received include 4 pallets for Kitui county, 2 Pallets for Nairobi, both Dagoretti North and Dagoretti south, two pallets of Wajir East and West, 2 pallets for Embu, 3 pallets for Trans Nzoia county, 1 pallet for Kwale county, 1 for Garissa, 5 pallets for Mombasa, Tana River 1 pallet, Taita Taveta 2 pallets.

The presidential ballot papers will be the last batch to arrive in the country, the IEBC said.

“The presidential ballots will be the last to arrive, and for those, we will invite the presidential candidates or their agents for the inspection right from the arrival by the aircraft to the loading place. I want to say all the ballots will come from JKIA and not any other place as alleged by other political leaders,” Mr Chebukati said.