What a Strong Aspirant File Contains: A Guide for Kenyan Parties

When a primary is challenged, the first questions are simple: what did the party receive, who checked it and who decided? A good aspirant file answers those questions quickly. Here is what to keep.

One file per aspirant, per seat

Every aspirant who applies gets a file that runs from the first application to the final nomination certificate. If the same person applies for two seats, keep two files and link them.

Your party’s constitution and nomination rules decide what aspirants must submit. The file shows that you followed those rules. It should also make it easy to check that you met IEBC’s nomination requirements and deadlines.

The file should show

• Aspirant’s name, ID number and party membership number
• The seat and area, for example MCA for a named ward
• The date the application was received
• Documents received and documents still missing
• Fee paid and the M-Pesa or bank reference
• The vetting decision, who made it and when
• The final outcome, and the nomination certificate if one was issued

Link payments to applications, but keep them separate

Most aspirants pay nomination fees through the party paybill. The payment does not always match the application: a friend may pay, or the aspirant may type the wrong account reference. Link each payment to its application, but check it against the party’s paybill statement. An M-Pesa screenshot is not proof.

Show the payment status clearly: pending, confirmed, refund due or disputed. Don’t mark a fee as confirmed until finance has checked it.

Check documents and record what you checked

Parties usually ask for a copy of the national ID, proof of party membership, academic certificates where the seat requires them, and clearance documents such as a KRA tax compliance certificate, HELB clearance, an EACC self-declaration or a DCI certificate of good conduct. Ask for what your rules require, not more.

For each document, record whether it was received, when, who checked it and the result.

A missing document and a failed check are different problems. The aspirant can usually supply a missing document. A certificate that looks forged needs a formal review. Keep them apart.

Useful document statuses

• Not yet received
• Received, waiting to be checked
• Accepted
• Returned for correction
• Rejected, with the reason written down

Record decisions without rewriting history

When the party’s elections or nominations board decides, record who decided, the date, the decision and the reason. If the decision changes later, for example after an appeal, add the new decision. Never delete the old one.

Keep each step separate: document check, vetting, the primary result and the nomination certificate. Different people with different authority handle each one.

Publish only what you should

Publish the list of cleared aspirants only after the board approves it. Remove private details such as ID numbers and phone numbers from public lists.

Keep the internal file after publishing. Disputes usually start after lists go out. They go first through the party’s internal dispute process, then to the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal. UshindiOS connects aspirant applications, documents, payments, vetting and certificates in one record. Your party still sets the rules and should take legal advice where needed.

Before publishing a list, check

• The board’s approval is recorded
• Names and seats are correct
• Pending appeals have been reviewed
• Private details are removed
• The date and approver are recorded