The electoral commission has set a date with Wiper boss Kalonzo Musyoka to formerly register him as a presidential candidate, further fuelling confusion about his political plans.
The former vice president will face the IEBC presidential election returning officer Wafula Chebukati on June 4 at the Bomas of Kenya setting the stage for his second stab at the presidency.
Saturday will also be the day Deputy President William Ruto, the United Democratic Alliance presidential candidate, will submit his nomination papers to the IEBC chairman.
On Sunday, Wiper bigwigs maintained that Kalonzo had complied with IEBC requirements, signalling he could be determined to go all the way to the ballot.
Initially, some of Kalonzo’s allies had also insisted that he had agreed to back Azimio presidential candidate Raila Odinga and serve as chief minister should they win the presidency.
On his party, Kalonzo reportedly insisted the post be anchored in law similar to the national accord that created the prime minister post in the 2007-2013 grand coalition government.
Raila then served as prime minister.
Kituti senator Enock Wambua said on Sunday that the party had submitted to the IEBC the signatures of the 48,000 voters in the prescribed Microsoft Excel Format as directed by IEBC.
The Kalonzo ally said Wiper was back to “factory settings” regarding Wiper’s political plans, denying reports that the former vice president had been locked out of the presidential race.
“For us in Wiper, we are back to factory setting. All the options are on the table,” Wambua told the media in Kitui when he presented his nomination papers to the constituency returning officer.
Wambua rubbished claims that Kalonzo was technically thrown out of the presidential race claiming the information was ‘maliciously ‘leaked out to the media” to perpetuate the impression that Wiper had been “cornered”.
“We do not want people to create the wrong impression that we have been cornered. We have not been cornered. I have said before and will say it again,” Wambua said.
Wiper National Election Board chairperson Agatha Solitei confirmed that the party had complied with the requirement of presenting electronic signature in the excel format.
“The National Elections Board wishes to confirm that we have complied with this requirement as we have ALREADY SUBMITTED the soft copy of our Candidate’s supporters in Excel format today, 28/5/22 which is well within the deadline set by IIEBC of 29/5/22,” said Solitei.
On Saturday, IEBC released a list of 16 shortlisted presidential aspirants with Kalonzo captured as being non compliant for failure to submit a soft copy in excel format of the names of at least 2,000 supporters in a minimum of 24 counties.
The party was then given until May 29 to comply with the requirement failing which Kalonzo would be knocked out of the presidential race.
In a letter to Solitei, Chebukati said the outfit had until Sunday to resubmit the signatures in the prescribed format, the Microsoft Excel Format.
“The commission has considered and acceded to your request to be allowed to submit the soft copy of your list of supporters in excel format by May 29, 2022, at 9am at the Bomas of Kenya, failing which your documentation will not be certified as compliant,” Chebukati said.
The unfolding events within Wiper and at the IEBC have stirred confusion amid pressure for Kalonzo to abandon his presidential bid and back Raila.
Should Kalonzo present himself to the IEBC on Saturday and get clearance then his name will end up on the ballot paper for the August 9 presidential because.
After the clearance, IEBC is expected to officially gazette the presidential candidates by June 9.
It was widely expected that the Wiper boss would announce his withdrawal from the presidential race when he arrived back in Kenya on Saturday after a week-long tour of UK.
Wiper members of his party including party candidates from his Ukambani backyard had convened a meeting last week and resolved that he should rejoin Azimio and support Raila.
The Wiper party has lined up a series of political rallies this week starting Monday in Ukambani to provide direction on Kalonzo’s political future as IEBC continues to clears aspirants. BY THE STAR