IEBC has announced the date on which voters in Elgeyo Marakwet will be going back to the polls to elect a new Senator.
This is after the seat was announced vacant by Senate Speaker Amason Kingi following the resignation of Kipchumba Murkomen.
Murkomen resigned on October 27, 2022, to take up the Transport, Roads and Infrastructure Cabinet Secretary Position.
With his resignation communicated to IEBC, the commission has now set January 5, 2023, as the day for the by-election for the senate seat.
The by-election will be held on the same day as that for Garissa Township and Kandara Constituencies.
MPs for the two constituencies – Aden Duale and Alice Wahome also resigned to take up the CS posts that President William Ruto appointed them to.
Duale is the new Defense CS while Wahome will be serving as Water CS.
Party nominations
In a gazette notice dated October 28, 2022, IEBC has directed political parties wishing to participate in the Elgeyo Marakwet Senate by-election and the other mini-polls to submit names of persons contesting in party primaries and dates of the party primaries on or before November 14, 2022.
“Political parties intending to participate in the by-elections shall conduct party primaries and resolve all intra-party disputes and submit the list of persons nominated to contest in the by-elections to the commission on or before November 30, 2022,” IEBC said in part of the gazette notice.
Already, over 30 candidates have expressed interest in vying for the Elgeyo Marakwet Senate seat.
Among those considered front runners include former MPs William Kisang and Jackson Kiptanui, former assembly speaker Albert Kochei, Tim Kipchumba and activist Jerotich Seii.
Most of those eyeing the seat is seeking the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ticket.
Public officers seeking to vie for the seat have also been given 7 days to resign.
Further, campaigns for the upcoming by-election will commence on December 5, 2022, and end on January 2, 2023, 48 hours before the day of the by-election.
