Nakuru Town West MP Samuel Arama secured Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) clearance to run for a third term, overcoming procedural hurdles and allegations of corruption. The Jubilee Party candidate submitted his nomination papers at the IEBC office in Nakuru Town West on May 29, 2022, after resolving document discrepancies that initially raised questions about his eligibility.
Arama faced scrutiny following his inclusion on the National Integrity Alliance's (NIA) 'Red Card List,' which targets politicians linked to corruption allegations. His campaign encountered setbacks when a proposer's records were missing and he temporarily misplaced his Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) clearance certificate. 'I forgot the document at home in a different file. Give me some minutes to fetch it,' Arama explained, retrieving the certificate just before the deadline.
The MP denied claims that a pending court case would bar him from contesting, stating, 'I am glad that the IEBC has cleared me ending speculations that I would not be in the race due to a court case that I am fighting.' Nakuru West Returning Officer Moses Ahete confirmed three MP candidates would be cleared on May 29, with Arama set to face Kamau Githengi of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) in the race.
In Kuresoi South, former Jubilee Regional Coordinator Peter Cheruiyot also received IEBC approval to challenge incumbent Joseph Tonui of UDA. Cheruiyot, who previously ran for the seat in 2013 on a URP ticket, pledged to address infrastructure and resource distribution issues. He will compete against five other candidates, including Tonui, Kanu's Mathew Langat, and independent contender Edmond Ngetich.
IEBC officials reported that 10 parliamentary candidates would submit documents over the following week, with clearance schedules announced for May 29-30. The electoral body emphasized compliance with procedural requirements to ensure transparent elections.
