Monday, August 29 Is The New Date For Postponed Elections, IEBC

IEBC chair Wafula Chebukati has announced Monday, August 29 as the new date for the postponed elections.

This is a date arrived at by Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC through an internal meeting held on Monday 22^nd August 2022.

The eight polls, including those for governor seats in Kakamega and Mombasa counties, were postponed after the commission realized a mix-up of candidates’ details in the ballot papers printed.

Those postponed also include MP races in Kitui Rural Constituency (Kitui County), Kacheliba Constituency (West Pokot County), Pokot South Constituency (West Pokot County), and Rongai Constituency (Nakuru County).

Meanwhile, voting for Member of County Assembly Ward in Nyaki West (North Imenti Constituency -Meru County), Kwa Njenga (Embakasi South Constituency – Nairobi County) had also been suspended.

The election dates were earlier on set for 23rd August 2022, before the commission indefinitely postponed them last week, citing harassment and intimidation of its staff.

Chairman Chebukati, speaking to the media at the Bomas of Kenya on Monday, insisted that the elections must be completed as soon as possible to allow the commission to publish party lists, which he claimed could not be completed without the elections.

“These elections must take place as soon as possible because we need to move on and have finality,” said Chebukati.

In attendance were the seven IEBC commissioners including vice chairperson Juliana Cherera and commissioners Abdi Guliye, Boya Molu, Justus Nyang’aya, Irene Masit, and Francis Wanderi.

This is the first time that Chebukati is meeting all the commissioners after Cherera led three of her colleagues -Nyang’anya, Masit, and Wanderi in disowning the presidential results.

The candidates in the race to secure various seats also seek to know whether the people will provide with civic education before the polls on 29^th August.

“We however want to know if there will be enough time and money for civic education. Our voters need to be informed of the date and encouraged to turn up for the exercise,” Kakamega Governor Candidate Cleophas Malala said.

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