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Kenya: Mass Exits Loom Ahead IEBC’s Feb 9 Deadline for Public Officials to Quit

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4 years ago

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Nairobi — The public service is set to be hit by a significant number of resignations as public officials eyeing political seats exit ahead of the February 9 deadline set by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

Public servants have exactly eight days remaining in office before resigning from their respective positions.

According to the Elections Act, all public officers seeking elective positions have to vacate office six months to the General Election, in this case February 9, 2022.

IEBC has since gazetted August 9 as the date for the General Election.

“A public officer who intends to contest an election under this Act shall resign from public office at least six months before the date of election,” Section 43 (5) of the Act.

The election regulation had been challenged in court but High Court Judge Anthony Mrima dismissed the petition challenging the regulation in January and ruled that the law provided sufficient time to allow those interested in politics to prepare.

“Six months before the election date is sufficient time for them to prepare themselves to meet their fate at the election box. A longer period would be unreasonable and a shorter period would be more unreasonable,” he ruled.

The election regulation portends a major headache for President Uhuru Kenyatta who is likely to receive a number of resignation notices from Cabinet Secretaries and other high-ranking public officials.