Parties intending to participate in the February 18 Nairobi Governor’s post-by-election have less than a week to submit names of contestants and party primaries dates, an exercise that closes on December 28.
Parties intending to present candidates through direct nominations should submit the list of nominees to Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission before January 11, 2021.
Nairobi Assembly Speaker Benson Mutura was on December 21, 2020 sworn in as the Acting Governor of Nairobi.
Public officers intending to contest have few days to resign as are required to do so within seven days of declaration of vacancy.
According to IEBC, independent candidates intending to participate in the by-election shall not be members of any political party at least three months before the date of the elections.
The electoral agency will publish the contestants list and respective dates for party primaries within seven days of receipt.
The campain will start from January 18 and February 15, 2021 and will run from 7am to 6pm in the evening.
Among the likely candidates to contest for the seat are Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria, former Gatanga MP Peter Kenneth, Bishop Margaret Wanjiru, Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja and BBI coordinator and former Dagoretti South MP Dennis Waweru.
It is not clear whether ousted Governor Mike Sonko, who has already moved to court to challenge his impeachment, will vie as is not qualified according to the provisions provided by IEBC.
