The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) has said its Electoral and Nomination Dispute Resolution Committee will be on standby to hear and determine any complaints that may arise from the Ol Kalou parliamentary nominations scheduled for May 8.
All and any disagreements concerning the nomination process for the Member of National Assembly Ol Kalou Constituency shall be lodged within twenty-four hours of the release of the results or the decision which gave rise to the complaint, the party said in a notice dated May 6.
The announcement was after a statement by the party’s National Elections Board confirming that nominations would be held at all polling centres in the constituency.
The statement reads in part: “Notice is hereby given that the UDA Electoral and Nomination Dispute Resolution Committee shall be available to receive, hear and determine any and all disputes related to the Ol Kalou Constituency Member of National Assembly nomination process.
The party have asked people to send complaints either through the official email address given by the committee, in person or online.
“All electoral disputes shall be filed before the ENDRC within twenty-four hours after declaration of results or nomination decision giving rise to the respective dispute,” the notification reads. The period during which the dispute shall be referred is specified as follows:
This clause is intended to ensure that any complaints that may arise from the nomination process are dealt with expeditiously to avoid protracted disputes which may affect the party’s preparations for the by-election.
Kenya’s election laws require political parties to have internal conflict resolution mechanisms to resolve issues relating to nominations before taking their grievances to other bodies like the Independent Election and Boundaries Commission or the courts. The parties must follow these procedures before they can refer their complaints to such external bodies.
The Ol Kalou contest has drawn immense interest ahead of the looming by-election in Nyandarua County, with several candidates jostling for the party ticket ahead of the polls.
Disputes in Kenya’s party primaries are commonplace and include allegations of anomalies in voting, the tallying of results, or the eligibility of candidates; hence the need for dispute resolution committees as part of the nomination process.
The UDA has given a firm deadline of 24 hours for the resolution, in the hope of rationalising the grievances and keeping to the election calendar.
In past nominations, the party has consistently stressed the need for openness, justice, and respect for internal norms to ensure credible outcomes and enhance the trust of contestants and supporters.
The Election and Nationality Dispute Resolution Commission (ENDRC) is tasked with receiving complaints, examining the evidence put forth by the parties in contention and making decisions within the time frame set out in the party’s nomination rules.
