Jubilee to table report on poll laws amendment
Senate and National Assembly Select committees on elections law (amendments) during proceedings at County Hall Nairobi on October 4, 2017. The team is set to present its report to Parliament on Monday. PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
The committee, which completed its public hearing sessions on Thursday, was Sunday holed up at Windsor Hotel, writing the final report on the views they received from members of the public.
The tabling of the report seeking changes in the electoral laws comes just 16 days to the repeat of the presidential poll slated for October 26.
The IEBC, the opposition, and members of the international community have raised questions over the timing of the amendments, arguing it was too close to the election, with the opposition threatening to challenge them in court.
The two select committees of Parliament formed to oversee the implementation of the Election Laws Amendments Bill 2017 will table their report tomorrow, signalling the determination by the Jubilee leadership to amend the election laws before the repeat presidential election.
The committee, which completed its public hearing sessions on Thursday, was Sunday holed up at Windsor Hotel, writing the final report on the views they received from members of the public.
A source at the meeting told theNation the two committees held their final session with members of the IEBC technical team.
“We had a fruitful session with the IEBC technical team who were accompanied by one of the commissioners. We have thrashed out the grey areas on the technical side,” a member of the committee told theNation on Sunday.
TIMING
The tabling of the report seeking changes in the electoral laws comes just 16 days to the repeat of the presidential poll slated for October 26.
The IEBC, the opposition, and members of the international community have raised questions over the timing of the amendments, arguing it was too close to the election, with the opposition threatening to challenge them in court.
Others institutions like the Kenya Human Rights Commission, the Political Parties Liaison Committee, the Inter-religious Council of Kenya, Martha Karua’s Narc Kenya and Kenya ICT Action Network have called for caution and asked the government to withdraw the amendments, saying the timing was not right.
Western diplomats led by United States ambassador Robert Godec have been critical of proposed amendments just days to the repeat poll.
In a memorandum Narc-Kenya submitted to the two committees, secretary-general Ambrose Nzomo said the laws being amended are a product of consensus by a bipartisan committee of both Jubilee and Cord in order to level the playing field ahead of the August 8 General Election.
TAINTING PROCESS
“Effecting amendments without consensus will amount to unilaterally shifting the goal posts by one team before a rematch, thereby tainting the process, contrary to the constitutional requirement of free and fair poll,” said Dr Nzomo.
The party notes that the presidential election petition had enlightened Kenyans that the Kenya Integrated Electronic Management Systems leaves behind footprints in detecting malpractices and questioned the rationale behind the proposal to make manual transmission of results superior to the electronic system if the purpose is to enhance accountability.
The party has urged Parliament to rise up to its responsibility of acting in the best interest of the nation and make laws in good faith, not designed to suit partisan interests.
“However meritorious these laws are, they are ill-timed and should be shelved till after the October 26 fresh presidential elections and even then they should be handled in a bipartisan manner,” said Dr Nzomo.
Leader of Minority in the National Assembly John Mbadi said the opposition will challenge the amendments in court.
