Veteran gospel musician Reuben Kigame has protested against a decision by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEBC) to bar him from contesting in the August 9 poll as a presidential candidate.
Kigame argues that while other aspirants have been disqualified for failing to meet set requirements, he has met all, yet IEBC has barred him.
In a thread on his Twitter handle, the popular musician detailed his journey to vying for the presidency, and how IEBC has allegedly been unfair to him.
IEBC had listed Kigame alongside several other presidential aspirants on May 16, 2022, in a gazette notice.
A few days later, IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati held a pre-nomination meeting with all the presidential aspirants who were given two days to submit signatures and copies of their supporters.
“25th May I submit hard copies and excell in soft and given until the 29th to correct format. 29 of May I take corrected copies back to @IEBCKenya and they refuse to take them or see me. At 10 PM same day as I am waiting to see Chebukati for the same, he emails me saying I have not complied with nomination requirements,” Kigame narrated.
A day later, the gospel musician said he was barred from seeing Chebukati at Bomas of Kenya, and later his lawyer wrote to the commission after which they asked for a meeting.
“At the meeting, and in a short letter summarizing the same, Chebukati reiterates the fact that I failed to comply and refuses to take my signatures and ID copies a second time,” he said.
“While aspirants have been disqualified for not having signatures and ID copies, I have them but I am still deemed non-compliant. Chebukati has given other aspirants multiple opportunities to present their signatures and even top up where there is shortage,” Kigame lamented.
