Over 40 Cleared to Contest for the Presidency as Independent Candidates

Individuals seeking to run for the presidency as independent candidates in the August elections had until Monday, May 2 to get clearance from the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP).

According to the ORPP, 44 people have been cleared to run for president as independent candidates thus far.

Here are the candidates seeking to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta come August 9:

1. Kinyanjui Edward Njenga
2. Otieno Duncan Oduor
3. Irungu James Kamau
4. Jeremiah Nixon Kukubo
5. Aoko Benard Ongir
6. Munga David Chome
7. Kariara Eliud Muthiora
8. Ouma Pigbin Odimwengu
9. Wanyanga Geoffrey Ndungu
10. Awuonda Brian Oluoch
11. Kihuha Esther Waringa
12. Ngigi Faith Wairimu
13. Kingori Patrick Kariuki
14. Nyaga Jeremiah John Mwaniki
15. Ng’ang’a Gibson Ngaruiya
16. Katoni Benjamin Kevin Ndambuki
17. Odhiambo Kevin Onyango
18. Lichete Reuben Kigame
19. Kanya Joe Stanley Kamau.B
20. Githii David Muhia
21. Kathae Peter Ndonga
22. Mbugua Benson Mwaura
23. Mwarania Paul Muriungi
24. Nyagoko Jacob Oanda
25. Wanjigi Harrison Njoroge
26. Nzano Jared Chula
27. Ngechu Moses Gichuki
28. Gichira Ptah Solomuzi
29. Nyangori Dorothy Kemunto
30. Ng’ani Victor Obote
31. Mukenda Jeremiah Simiyu
32. Kamau George Munyottah
33. Masira Erastus Nyamera
34. Oganga Stephen Owoko
35. Obunga Bernard Neto
36. Kiprono Felix
37. Nzamalu Samuel Mwangangi
38. Mbugua Zablon Karanja
39. Koue Grita Muthoni
40. Kagumba Samuel Kiambati
41. Ojijo Ogillo Mark Pascal
42. Waweru Joseph Mbugua
43. Munyeki June Juliet       
44. Begum Nazlin

A total of 7,111 people are seeking to run as independents for various elected seats.

According to the ORPP data, 104 people have been cleared to run for governor, while another 141 people are running for Senate seats as independents.

A total of 110 independent candidates have applied for the 47 female representative roles, while 944 people have applied for the 290 parliamentary seats.

The government has allowed another 5,765 people to compete for the 1,450 county assembly seats.

Read: Late Joe Nyaga’s Son Enters Presidential Contest to Fulfil Father’s Mission

The number of independent candidates has gone up compared to those contending in the 2017 polls.

“The increase is mostly because of awareness as compared to previous polls. A majority of them did not participate in the party primaries; they started applying before the primaries,” said Registrar of Political Parties Anne Nderitu.

Parties have pledged to work hard to ensure that the defectors do not jeopardize their support bases.

“We are not going to allow independent candidates to eat into our support base; we will campaign very viciously against them because they have basically defied the management of political parties in this country,” Jubilee Secretary-General Jeremiah Kioni said on Sunday.

“Their decision to run as independent shows they are defiant and do not want to be answerable to anybody. There will be more independent candidates running in the polls but very few are likely to make it,” he added.