Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar at a past event. The senator warned that IEBC could lose credibility in case it conducts party nominations that will not be accepted by aspirants. Photo/the-star.co.ke
Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar has criticised President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee Party for allegedly forcing the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to conduct its party primaries ahead of the August polls.
Speaking during an interview on Citizen TV on Sunday, Omar claimed IEBC is reluctant on conducting the nominations but is allegedly being pressured by the government.“Let Jubilee know that it has no powers to force or coerce IEBC to conduct its party nominations,” said Omar.The senator warned that IEBC could lose credibility in case it conducts party nominations that will not be accepted by aspirants.“The IEBC must trade carefully because if it conducts failed nominations then it will have tarnished its image and no Kenyan will have confidence in it,” said the Wiper Party secretary general.Omar asked Jubilee to stop bothering IEBC and allow it to focus on the August general election.He said that IEBC has a lot do as it prepares for the August 8, polls.This comes after Jubilee reached out to IEBC to have it conduct its party nominations.On Saturday, National Assembly leader of Majority Aden Duale said that the constitution requires IEBC to conduct nominations for political parties.However, IEBC Chairperson Wafula Chebukati last week said that the electoral commission might not conduct any party nominations as being requested.He said that commission has a lot of things to do in preparation for the August 8 general election and cannot commit itself to conduct party nominations.