Nasa leader Raila Odinga. IEBC says he is yet to pull out of the repeat poll formally. [Photo: Daily Nation]When former NASA presidential candidate Raila Odinga withdrew from October 26 repeat poll, it was a strategy to complicate his sole competitor, President Uhuru Kenyatta's reelection journey.Raila, following his lawyers', advise withdrew from the race pretty sure that his lack of participation would force the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to cancel the election and order fresh nominations for presidential candidates.However, legal experts had indicated that Raila's withdrawal was a 'high stakes' game that could either benefit his agitation for electoral reforms or backfire on him. Unfortunately, for Raila and NASA, the latter seems to have happened. Following the High Court's ruling, the IEBC has invited all eight candidates who took part in the August 8 presidential election to take part in the fresh poll.IEBC has also maintained the October 26 election date.A day before, Raila had written to the IEBC quitting the race but has effectively been put back on the ballot.This means, he will now need to formally exit the race by filling Form 24A, a process Nasa considers unnecessary but which they must undertake to remove him from the election.Odinga dramatically withdrew his candidature on Tuesday and demanded another election in 90 days after fresh nominations.But a judgment by Justice John Mativo which allowed Thirdway Alliance candidate Ekuru Aukot to be included in the fresh poll left the door open for any other candidate willing to participate if they so wished."It is the commission’s position that the candidates for the fresh presidential election scheduled for October 26, 2017 shall include all the eight candidates who participated in the 8th August presidential election," a statement from IEBC said.The High Court decision and the IEBC statement meant that Odinga was still a candidate until he withdraws again, not using a letter as he did on Wednesday, but by the prescribed form.Until one signs the prescribed form of withdrawal, according to the statement, all the eight will be deemed as candidates for the October 26 race.It will, however, be hard for Raila to rejoin the race bearing in mind that his irreducible minimums to IEBC haven't been 'met' and he hasn't been campaigning as his fierce rival Uhuru Kenyatta.

Share news tips with us here at Hivisasa