Nairobi — The nominations of candidates eyeing the nine slots in the East Africa Legislative Assembly (EALA) are set to commence on Wednesday after 287 applicants qualified for the job.
A total of 345 applications were forwarded to the Clerk of the National Assembly Samuel Njoroge and his counterpart from the Senate Jeremiah Nyegenye.
In the 287 applications made, 145 were from the Kenya Kwanza Alliance while 96 were from Azimio La Umoja One Kenya.
A total of 27 nominees, 15 from the Jubilee side and 12 from Azimio are battling it out for the nine slots that Kenya has been allocated for representation in the Arusha-based regional assembly.
On Wednesday during the joint committee sitting, political parties will be required to nominate persons for election to EALA and submit the names of the nominees to the presiding officers.
The proposed 27 names by the political parties will be subjected to a vote taken in the two Houses to pick nine that will represent the country in the regional assembly.
The regional Parliament was established under Article 9 of the East African Treaty.Each member state is required to send nine MPs.
Kenya is rushing against time to second its members to the regional assembly ahead of the inauguration of the new session on December 17.
According to the EALA Act, 2011, Kenya and the other five member states of the East African Community are entitled to nine slots.
Lobbying has intensified for the nine slots in the race that has attracted close allies of President Ruto and Raila.
Odinga’s daughter Winner Odinga, Kalonzo’s son, Kennedy, and KANU chairman Gideon Moi are among those lined up for nomination.
Others are Jubilee secretary general Jeremiah Kioni, Kanu secretary general Nick Salat, late former Gem MP Jakoyo Midowo’s brother, Jalang’o, and former Tiaty MP Asman Kamama.
All the EAC countries, except Kenya and Democratic Republic of Congo, have already elected their representatives.
Eala membership currently stands at 62, with nine elected members from each of the six East African Community (EAC) partner states Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan and Burundi — and eight ex-officio members.
Eala is an independent arm of EAC that advances the interest of the bloc, besides providing oversight.
Currently, those representing Kenya include former Kamukunji MP Simon Mbugua and Azimio leader Raila Odinga’s elder brother, Oburu Oginga (currently Siaya Senator).
Others in the outgoing Eala team are Kennedy Musyoka, who is Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka’s son, and Wanjiku Muhia, who this year won the Kipipiri MP seat after ousting former leader of Majority Amos Kimunya.
Yet others are Tigania East MP Mpuru Aburi, who recaptured the seat he lost in 2017 election, former-Wajir Woman Rep Fatuma Ali, former Mbalambala MP Omar Abdikadir and Jematiah Florence (Baringo Woman Rep).