Running mate photos will not be on the ballot, IEBC rules
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has opposed the idea of having photos of running mates of presidential and gubernatorial candidates on ballot papers during the August 9 General Elections.
The electoral agency termed the move unlawful.
IEBC through their Director of legal services and public affairs Chrispine Owiye, referenced Regulation 68 of the Elections (General) Regulations, 2012 as amended in 2017, stating there are no provisions in place for such photos to appear.
“Regulation 68 of the Elections (General) Regulations, 2012 as amended in 2017 on the ballot papers does not contemplate the need to include a photograph of a deputy governor or deputy President as alluded to by the petitioner,” said Owiye.
The agency was responding to a case filed by one Mugambi Imanyara.
Imanyara seeks to stop IEBC from printing both presidential and gubernatorial ballot papers for the August 9 polls without the photos of their running mates.
In his case, Imanyara argues that the IEBC breaks the law by failing to have voters identify both presidential and gubernatorial candidates alongside their choice of deputies through photos.
According to him, a candidate and his running mate are a joint pair and should therefore both appear on the ballot paper. The photographs, he says, play a major role in persuading voters into voting leaders of their choice.
But the IEBC in an affidavit says the provision of regulation 68 (Election Laws) on ballot papers does not contemplate the need to include a photograph of a deputy governor or deputy president as alluded to by Imanyara but only the candidates that are the principal office holders being the president or the governor.
“There is no constitutional requirement to include a photograph of the deputies in the ballot papers,” IEBC says.
