The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has cleared a total 16,259 candidates to vie for 1,882 positions in the August general elections.

IEBC in a press statement on Monday said that political parties had uploaded 11,309 candidates on the candidate registration management system (CRMS) by the 14^th may deadline.

However, the 16,259 candidates does not include the 4,950 cleared by The Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) last week to run as independent candidates.

The 2017 candidate count is higher than that recorded in the 2013 elections (12,776) by 3,483 candidates.

IEBC has cleared 10 candidates including president Uhuru and Raila Odinga to run for presidency out of the 16 last week declared their interest in the race to state house.

Those running with political parties include Nyamira Senator Kennedy Mong’are (National Liberal Party), Peter Ondeng (Restore and Build Kenya Party), Ekuru Aukot (Thirdway Alliance Party) and Cyrus Jirongo (UDP Party).

Those vying as independent candidates include Nixon Kukubo, former Co-operatives minister Joe Nyagah, David Munga, Robert Mukwana Juma and Joseph Ngacha, Japheth Kavinga, Joseph Musyoka and Erastus Nyamera.

The high number of candidates who have thrust themselves to vie in the 2017lections is the highest in the country’s electoral history.

The MCA seat has attracted the highest number of candidates. About 9,133 candidates will vie on party tickets while 2000 will run as independents.