Parties to submit nomination lists sixty days to General Election

Public officers seeking elective office will now be required to resign from their positions one year to the General Election. According to a final Bill proposing amendments to the Elections Act, parties will also be required to complete their nominations at least two months to an election.

The report by the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee on the Election Laws Amendment Bill has capped a degree certificate as a minimum qualification for Parliamentarians but for the MCAs, this will be realized progressively with 2017 being the last election for an MCA to be a diploma certificate holder. By 2022, a university graduate from a credible institution recognized in Kenya will be the minimum entry point in politics.

The committee is also proposing to tighten the noose on party hoppers and political parties will be required to submit their membership list to the electoral commission at least sixty days before the General Election and forty five days before a by-election; this restricting party hopping two months to the elections down from forty five days.

Political parties no longer have the luxury of conducting nominations close to the elections as they will be required to have their nominations at least 60 days to the General Election, up from 45 days and disputes arising from the nominations should be settled within 45 days.

Public officers seeking to join elective politics will now have to resign one year to the General Election or within seven days of the declaration of a vacancy in a by-election. Initially, Section 43 (5) of the Elections Act provided to public officers to resign six months to the polls.

To smoothen and streamline the poll process on Election Day, the committee is proposing that each polling station should not exceed more than 700 voters but the right of recall for non performing Members of Parliament has been tightened. The petition that should carry names of at least 30 per cent of registered voters in the constituency or county should now carry with it thumbs prints of the petitioners.

The proposals by the Samuel Chepkonga-led Justice and Legal Affairs Committee will be tabled for debate in Parliament for approval, amendments or rejection by MPs.

Report by Sam Ogina