Kalonzo barred from Kenyan presidential contest on a technicality

Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka will not contest the August 9 presidential election after the Electoral Commission barred him on formal grounds.

At the same time, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) have approved 16 candidates who will now submit their nomination papers from today.

The list has nine political/coalition party hopefuls and seven independents.

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Leading candidates Raila Odinga (Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party) and Deputy President William Ruto of the United Democratic Alliance are among those approved by the IEBC.

Mr. Musyoka did not provide the list of his supporters in the required Microsoft Excel spreadsheet.

He belongs to the four political party candidates and nine independents that failed to meet the IEBC’s stringent requirements of 48,000 supporters in at least 24 districts, proper presentation of supporters’ names and copies of their ID cards.

For Mr. Musyoka, failing the first hurdle means that End of his brief presidential bid, which began after he failed to land the position of Azimio running mate.

Even before the revelation that he was dropped from the race by the IEBC, Musyoka’s supporters had and Wiper contenders put pressure on him to return to Azimio and support Odinga-Martha Karua ticket.

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He now has limited options as he cannot legally leave Azimio either.

But he is walking a tightrope as he plans to rejoin Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party.< /p>

Wiper wanted Mr Musyoka to go all the way to the vote if his demand for a government stake is not formalized and filed with the Bureau of the Federal Chancellor of Political Parties.

The party reportedly has a demand for at least four Cabinet post in addition to chief cabinet secretary offered by Azimio la U for Moja presidential candidate Odinga.

She wants Mr. Odinga to present her with the energy, water, health and tourism lists.

It also demands a 30 percent share of diplomatic posts.

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But the governors Kivutha Kibwana (Makueni) and Charity Ngilu (Kitui) had also lent a hand and said Mr Odinga should not give Mr Odinga preferential treatment for Musyoka should the latter rejoin Azimio la Umoja.

Prof Kibwana, responsible for Azimio campaignsin Makueni, Machakos and Kitui counties had demanded that the alliance include the leaders of the affiliated parties in all talks Mr. Musyoka.

“Finally, Wiper decided to meet Azimio about two months before the join elections. The dialogue with Azimio leadership must include those of us who have sold Azimio in the region; those who did the hard work,” said Prof Kibwana.

Ms Ngilu had reportedly said she was ready to take on the post of chief cabinet secretary should Musyoka not return to Azimio.

Yesterday, Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo Jr said Mr Musyoka was in talks with President Uhuru Kenyatta, who chairs the Azimio Council – the coalition’s top decision-making body.

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