Coalitions and alliances The law required
all Kenyan political parties to register any coalition agreements with the Registrar of Political Parties by 4 December 2012. This resulted in several publicised discussions among key political players and their respective parties who aimed to form pre-election coalitions prior to the deadline. Another effect considered likely was a reduction in the number of prospective candidates. Four coalitions formed by the deadline include: • The
Coalition for Reforms and Democracy:
ODM,
Wiper Party,
Ford-Kenya and the Federal Party of Kenya. • The
Jubilee Alliance:
TNA,
URP and
UDF Parties. UDF later left the coalition.
Machel Waikenda was the director of communications and secretary of arts and entertainment of the National Alliance, from April 2012 to August 2013 and he led the
media and communications department of the party during the 2013 elections. •
Eagle Alliance:
KNC and
POA Parties • Pambazuka Coalition:
New FORD Kenya,
National Vision Party,
Federal Party of Kenya and KADDU Parties. The coalition collapsed on 29 December 2012. •
Amani Coalition:
UDF,
New Ford Kenya and
KANU Parties (formed after the UDF exit from the Jubilee Coalition. The release of the calendar resulted in several parties opting to hold their nominations on 17 January 2013. The IEBC proposed public school shut down on 17 January 2013, as the schools would be the venue for a significant number of nomination activities across the country. The Government confirmed that public schools would not open on 17 January 2013. The government later announced that Public primary schools would for the second day (18 January 2013) remain closed to allow party primaries to continue. On 19 January the IEBC indicated that political aspirants who lost during respective party primaries are not allowed to defect and seek tickets on other parties after Midnight on 18 January 2013. By law, political parties were expected to nominate their candidates for an election at least 45 days before. While other parties and coalitions held their nominations early, the Jubilee, Amani and CORD coalitions chose to hold country wide their nominations two days before the deadline. These were marked with disorganization and chaos with protests arising in Nairobi, Nyanza and Central provinces. Further acrimony arose over issuance of certificates by political parties, with over 200 complaints filed with the IEBC disputes and Resolution panel The committee consisted of 4 IEBC Commissioners and one official from the
Director of Public Prosecutions office. The committee held its sittings at the
Milimani Law Courts in
Nairobi. Complaints raised included issuing of certificates not losers, nepotism and discrimination. The committee had seven days to complete the arbitration process with those dissatisfied with the tribunal's decision asked to lodge their cases with the
High Court. The panel eventually announced 3 days of hearings. The Panel completed its work on 28 January 2013 dismissing 64 out of 207 petitions following failure by complainants to attend. 29 applications did not need determination as Political parties conceded to the complaints.
Presidential candidates Minister of Internal Security
George Saitoti, second hand man to both
Daniel Arap Moi and incumbent President
Mwai Kibaki, was expected to be a candidate but died in June 2012 in a helicopter crash. His mixed
Masai and
Kikuyu heritage was seen as important in light of the violence that followed the
2007 presidential election and the tendency in Kenyan politics for ethnic-based alliances. Several politicians made public their intentions to run or were speculated to run by media analysts and polling organizations: •
Sylvester Wakoli Bifwoli – MP for
Bumula Constituency. •
Mohammed Abduba Dida – Former High School Teacher •
Joseph Hellon – Jazz Maestro, Chair of the Placenta Party. •
Cyrus Jirongo – MP for
Lugari Constituency. •
Kingwa Kamencu – Oxford Rhodes Scholar •
Martha Karua – MP for
Gichugu Constituency. •
Peter Kenneth – MP for
Gatanga Constituency. •
Uhuru Kenyatta – Deputy Prime Minister. • Dishon Kirima – Leader of the New Democrats. •
James ole Kiyiapi – Former Permanent Secretary in the Education Ministry. •
Musalia Mudavadi – Deputy Prime Minister. •
Paul Muite – Lawyer and former MP for
Kikuyu Constituency •
Mutava Musyimi – MP for
Gachoka Constituency. •
Kalonzo Musyoka – Vice President. • Ceaser Muthike – Leader of Restoration of Unity. • George Kenyatta Muumbo – Battalion S5 (U.S. ARMY), Political Scientist and Paralegal •
Joseph Nyagah – Cooperative Development and Marketing. •
William Ruto – MP for
Eldoret North Constituency •
Raphael Tuju – Former MP for
Rarieda Constituency •
George Luchiri Wajackoyah – Diaspora candidate •
Eugene Wamalwa – Justice Minister and MP for
Saboti Constituency •
Moses Wetangula – Minister for Trade Ultimately Joseph Hellon, George Luchiri Wajackoyah, Dishon Kirima and Kingwa Kamencu did not submit papers to the IEBC.
William Ruto,
Mutava Musyimi and
Joseph Nyagah opted to support Uhuru Kenyatta with Ruto being selected as his running mate. Those who stepped down in favour of
Raila Odinga included
Cyrus Jirongo,
Moses Wetangula,
Sylvester Wakoli Bifwoli and
Kalonzo Musyoka, who became his running mate.
Eugene Wamalwa opted to support Mudavadi while
Raphael Tuju supported Peter Kenneth who both chose other running mates. On 24 January 2013 the IEBC begun collecting the initial batch of documents to be used for processing the names of presidential candidates who would contest the elections. Candidate were required to present a letter expressing intention to contest the presidency and lists of 2,000 signatures from supporters in more than half of the 47 counties.
ICC and Integrity court cases A court case was filed seeking to restrain the
Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission from accepting the nomination of any candidate who has been committed to trial for serious criminal charges under the Kenyan and International law. At the time of the elections, Kenyatta and Ruto were facing charges of crimes against humanity at the
International Criminal Court (ICC) following the
International Criminal Court investigation in Kenya as a result of the
2007–2008 post-election violence. Although the petitioners withdrew the case on 29 November 2012, a new petition was filed the following day by an NGO that was an interested party in the initial case. On 22 January 2013
High Court Judge
David Majanja ruled that three integrity cases filed against presidential candidates and their deputies would be heard jointly. The cases sought to bar Prime Minister
Raila Odinga, Vice-President
Kalonzo Musyoka, Deputy Prime Ministers
Uhuru Kenyatta and
Musalia Mudavadi and
William Ruto from contesting in the presidential elections. On 25 January 2013
Chief Justice Willy Mutunga appointed five judges to hear the three cases jointly;
Mbogholi Msagha,
Luka Kimaru,
Hellen Omondi,
George Kimondo and
Pauline Nyamweya. Hearings began on 7 February 2013. On 15 February the High Court unanimously rejected the petition.
Debates The Kenyan media announced their sponsorship of presidential debates set to be broadcast between 26 November 2012 and 11 February 2013 with coverage from eight television stations and 32 radio stations. The debates were postponed to January 2013 to allow completion of the nomination process. On 25 January, the media confirmed the debates would be held on 11 February 2013 and 25 February 2013. Other organisation later sponsored similar though less publicised presidential and vice presidential debates. The first debate was held on 11 February 2013 at the Brookhouse International School and moderated by
Julie Gichuru and
Linus Kaikai. Their addition was so last-minute, that they had to use makeshift podiums that were noticeably different from those of the other candidates. The debate was split into two with a break in-between. The second media sponsored debate was held on 25 February 2013 at the Brookhouse International School and was moderated by
Joe Ageyo and
Uduak Amimo. Eventually, Kenyatta agreed to participate, and once again, all presidential candidates were involved. Several churches and Christian organisations supported by
Daystar University held presidential and vice-presidential debates, which were both broadcast on the
Kenya Broadcasting Corporation TV station and intermittently on several other TV stations. The debates were held at the
Anglican Church of Kenya's All Saints Cathedral. The focus of these debates were issues and question that the Christians bodies identified as important to them. Aside from the lower publicity, the debates were also characterized by poor turnout by the candidates. The Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) also held a debate which received low publicity and participation of some of the candidates.
Issues During the campaign Odinga caused as stir when he implied that Kenyatta was among those in possession of huge tracts of land across the country and could therefore not reform the sector. Kenyatta responded by claiming he was clean and that Odinga should respond over his involvement with the Kisumu Molasses Plant. The
National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) however through its chairman Mzalendo Kibunja stated that such statements were a form of incitement. Kibunja was contradicted by
Constitution Implementation Commission (CIC) chairman Charles Nyachae who said candidates should not be prevented from discussing land issues during their campaigns. The recently appointed
police Inspector General David Kimaiyo whose name appears in the
Ndungu Land Commission's report on illegal/irregular allocation of public land also added his voice asking for politicians not to debate land matters. Rejection of debate on land matters also came from the
Anglican Church of Kenya. ==Conduct==