The IEBC should stick to its mandate of managing elections and keep off party primaries, an ODM MP has said.
According to the Daily Nation, Nyatike MP Edick Anyanga has ruled out the IEBC in conducting its party primaries saying it cannot be trusted and should first put its house in order.
“There is no way we can employ the services of IEBC which is still struggling to be perfect. We cannot trust the commission because they may be used to declare unpopular candidates winners so that they are trounced by our opponents in the general election,” Anyanga said as quoted by the Daily Nation.
He said the ODM National Elections Board has members of high integrity capable of conducting the exercise, and urged party members to give it a chance for free and fair nominations.
On his part, Kisumu Senator Anyang Nyong’o wants political parties to conduct their own nominations and in case of arising disputes, seek help from the IEBC.
Nyong’o who spoke at Akado Centre in Seme on Monday said; “IEBC should never at all be allowed to oversee party primaries. They have a role of handling disputes that arise after the nominations and that will make it difficult to be fair and balanced.”
ODM National Elections Board chairperson Judith Pareno also said the board will conduct primaries to select its candidates for the 2017 elections.