Nairobi,KENYA:The Independent and Boundaries Commission has said there will be no extension of the party primaries in the country.
At a meeting with representatives of the 14 political parties on Sunday, the IEBC chairperson Wafula Chebukati said some political parties have requested for an extension of the deadline,but he said that would not be possible as the gazetted date is on 26th April .
“Some political parties had requested during the meeting, for an extension of the party primary timelines,however, after deliberations, the commission directs political parties to complete their nominations within the stipulated gazetted timelines,”said Chebukati.
President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee party is among the parties which may be effected by this announcement by the IEBC as they cancelled their nominations after the delays,confusion and chaos that erupted on 21st this month.
He added that parties have until May 10 to solve the problems arising from disputed primaries.
Publication of candidates lists will be on 10 June and submission of party lists will be between the same day and 24 June prior to the beginning of official campaigns.
Chebukati also said political parties shall only use their membership lists during the primaries and not the IEBC list.
“The commission wishes to emphasize that it has not shared the 2017 IEBC register with any political party,” he said.
The ODM party has also cancelled the party primaries for the Kisumu gubernatorial seat which is to be contested between the incumbent governor Jack Ranguma and the senator Anyang Nyong’o.