Requirements for Independent Candidates in Kenya

The requirements to stand as an independent candidate in Kenya relate to various elective positions. These positions are those of the President, Members of the National Assembly, Governors, Senators, Women Representatives and Members of the County Assembly.

The requirements to stand as an independent candidate in Kenya apply in instances where a person is not nominated by a political party. The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) comes up with these requirements for all the various seats.

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Requirements for independent candidates in Kenya

The requirements for independent candidates are ‘additional’ requirements on top of those required for those being nominated by a political party.

1. The Presidency

The additional requirements to stand as an independent candidate in Kenya for the position of the presidency (the president and his deputy) are indicated below.

The independent candidates shall get a clearance certificate from the Registrar of Political Parties. The certificate shall indicate that the person was not a member of any political party for the last three months before the election date. (Regulation 15(a) of the Elections (General) Regulations, 2012).

The independent candidates shall have a duly filled Form of Intention to Contest in the prescribed form. (Regulation 15(b) of the Elections (General) Regulations, 2012)

Another additional requirement is a symbol the independent candidate intends to use during the election. IEBC shall approve the symbol in accordance with Section 32 of the Elections Act, 2011.

The independent candidates shall set up and maintain functioning offices within Kenya. Each of the offices must be available for IEBC to inspect. The candidates shall communicate the address (including physical address) of the offices to the Commission on a date the Commission prescribes. (Regulation 20(1) and (2) of the Elections (General) Regulations, 2012).

See the full conditions to vie for the presidency in Kenya.

2. The Senator

Independent candidates shall meet these additional requirements to qualify to vie for the position of a senator in Kenya.

They shall get a clearance certificate from the Registrar of Political Parties. The certificate shall indicate that the person was not a member of any political party for the last three months before the election date. (Regulation 15(a) of the Elections (General) Regulations, 2012).

The independent candidates shall have a duly filled Form of Intention to Contest in the prescribed form. (Regulation 15(b) of the Elections (General) Regulations, 2012)

Every independent candidate must have a soft and a hard copy of a list of at least 2000 supporters in the prescribed form. They shall submit the list to the County Returning Officer by a date IEBC prescribes.

A symbol the candidate intends to use during the election is also an additional requirement. IEBC shall approve the symbol in accordance with Section 32 of the Elections Act, 2011.

The independent candidates shall set up and maintain functioning offices within Kenya. Each of the offices must be available for IEBC to inspect by a certain date the Commission prescribes. The candidates shall communicate the address (including physical address) of the offices to the Commission. (Regulation 20(1) and (2) of the Elections (General) Regulations, 2012).

See the full conditions to vie for the position of a senator in Kenya.

3. Member of the National Assembly

The additional requirements to stand as an independent candidate in Kenya for the position of a member of the National Assembly are indicated below.

They shall get a clearance certificate from the Registrar of Political Parties. The certificate shall indicate that the person was not a member of any political party for the last three months before the election date. (Regulation 15(a) of the Elections (General) Regulations, 2012).

The independent candidates shall have a duly filled Form of Intention to Contest in the prescribed form. (Regulation 15(b) of the Elections (General) Regulations, 2012)

Every independent candidate must have a soft and a hard copy of a list of at least 1000 supporters in the prescribed form. They shall submit the list to the Constituency Returning Officer by a date IEBC prescribes.

A symbol the candidate intends to use during the election is also an additional requirement. IEBC shall approve the symbol in accordance with Section 32 of the Elections Act, 2011.

The independent candidates shall set up and maintain functioning offices within Kenya. Each of the offices must be available for IEBC to inspect by a certain date the Commission prescribes. The candidates shall communicate the address (including physical address) of the offices to the Commission. (Regulation 20(1) and (2) of the Elections (General) Regulations, 2012).

See the full conditions to become a Member of the National Assembly in Kenya.

4. The County Governor

Independent candidates must meet these additional requirements to qualify to vie for the position of the county governor in Kenya. They apply both to the governor and the deputy governor.

They shall get a clearance certificate from the Registrar of Political Parties. The certificate shall indicate that the person was not a member of any political party for the last three months before the election date. (Regulation 15(a) of the Elections (General) Regulations, 2012).

The independent candidates shall have a duly filled Form of Intention to Contest in the prescribed form. (Regulation 15(b) of the Elections (General) Regulations, 2012)

Every independent candidate must have a soft and a hard copy of a list of at least 500 supporters in the prescribed form. They shall submit the list to the County Returning Officer by a date IEBC prescribes.

A symbol the candidate intends to use during the election is also an additional requirement. IEBC shall approve the symbol in accordance with Section 32 of the Elections Act, 2011.

The independent candidates shall set up and maintain functioning offices within Kenya. Each of the offices must be available for IEBC to inspect by a certain date the Commission prescribes. The candidates shall communicate the address (including physical address) of the offices to the Commission. (Regulation 20(1) and (2) of the Elections (General) Regulations, 2012).

See the full conditions to vie for the office of the county governor in Kenya.

5. County Women Representative

The additional requirements to stand as an independent candidate in Kenya for the position of a County Women Representative are indicated below.

They shall get a clearance certificate from the Registrar of Political Parties. The certificate shall indicate that the person was not a member of any political party for the last three months before the election date. (Regulation 15(a) of the Elections (General) Regulations, 2012).

The independent candidates shall have a duly filled Form of Intention to Contest in the prescribed form. (Regulation 15(b) of the Elections (General) Regulations, 2012)

Every independent candidate must have a soft and a hard copy of a list of at least 1000 supporters in the prescribed form. They shall submit the list to the County Returning Officer by a date IEBC prescribes.

A symbol the candidate intends to use during the election is also an additional requirement. IEBC shall approve the symbol in accordance with Section 32 of the Elections Act, 2011.

The independent candidates shall set up and maintain functioning offices within Kenya. Each of the offices must be available for IEBC to inspect by a certain date the Commission prescribes. The candidates shall communicate the address (including physical address) of the offices to the Commission. (Regulation 20(1) and (2) of the Elections (General) Regulations, 2012).

See the full conditions to become a County Women Representative in Kenya.

6. Member of the County Assembly

There are a few additional requirements for independent candidates intending to vie for the position of a Member of County Assembly.

They shall submit a clearance certificate from the Registrar of Political Parties. The certificate shall certify that the person was not a member of any political party for the last three months before the elections. (Regulation 15(a) of the Elections (General) Regulations, 2012).

The candidate or their agent shall provide a soft and a hard copy of at least 500 supporters in a form prescribed by IEBC. They shall submit the form to the Constituency Returning Officer by a date set aside by IEBC.

They shall also provide duly filled Form of Intention to Contest in the form prescribed by the election regulations. (Regulation 15(b) of the Elections (General) Regulations, 2012). In addition, the candidate shall provide the symbol they intend to use during the election. IEBC shall have approved the symbol in accordance with Section 32 of the Elections Act, 2011.

Lastly, the candidate shall maintain a functioning office in their respective electoral area where they intend to contest. The office must be available for inspection by IEBC by a date the commission prescribes. The candidate shall communicate the address, including the physical address of the office, to the commission.

See the full conditions to become a Member of the County Assembly in Kenya.