Aspirants who will lose in party primaries can now have their last shots as independent candidates in the August general election.
According to registrar of political parties, Anne Nderitu, on Thursday March 3 said there is an opportunity for candidates who will fail in the primaries, she further assured them of having a chance to vie as independent candidates.
According to Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) timelines, Party primaries nomination will happen between April 16 and 22.
The commission provides that independent candidates will have until May 2 to submit their documents and symbol.
Nderitu told members of the National Assembly’s Justice and Legal Affairs Committee that the losers would have ten days between April 22 and May 2 to decide if they would run as independent candidates.
“As the law stands now, within those ten days, someone can be allowed to jump ship and vie as an independent candidate,” said Nderitu.
However, the law has barred candidates from crossing over and joining other political parties.
By Elizabeth Kijanah