Legislators in Parliament.

| Jeff Angote | Nation Media Group

BBI: How counties would share out 70 new MPs

Nairobi (16), Kiambu (6), Nakuru (5) and Kilifi (4) are the biggest beneficiaries of an additional 70 MPs proposed under constitutional amendments sponsored by the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI).

BBI proposed a 360-member National Assembly–elected representatives of each of the 290 constituencies and the 70 MPs from populous constituencies elected through proportional representation in which voters will vote for party lists.

A candidate from the party with the most votes will stand elected.

Parties’ numerical strength in the National Assembly will be crucial if the BBI report is implemented as the party or coalition of parties with the majority will secure the Prime Minister’s post.

Bungoma, Kajiado, Narok, Mombasa and Machakos are each proposed to have an extra three special seats, according to a breakdown by the BBI campaign steering team, which indicates 27 counties will benefit from the extra lawmakers.

Meru, Kakamega, Kwale, Isiolo, Kisumu, Uasin Gishu and Trans Nzoia will each get two additional seats if the proposals are implemented.

Bomet, Kericho, Homa Bay, Nyamira, Siaya, Kirinyaga, Laikipia, Turkana, Muranga and Makueni will each have one seat.

The formula for distributing the seats was agreed during a BBI consultative meeting bringing together members of the National Assembly and the Senate at Naivasha. President Uhuru Kenyatta and opposition chief Raila Odinga were in attendance.

With the additional 70 seats, the National Assembly is expected to have 360 members.

This means the population quota would be pegged at 132, 138. “Counties that are presently under represented by virtue of having heavy population will on the basis of the population quota of 132, 138 receive an additional MPs,” the report notes.

The quota is arrived at after dividing the national population, which according to the 2019 census was 47.5 million, by the total number of seats.

The report of the Interim Independent Boundaries Review Commission, which identified the present 290 constituencies in 2010, noted that a constituency should have an average of 133,138 people.

Through this provision the constituencies were grouped into four; cities whose population is allowed at 40 per cent greater than the population quota; rural areas at 30 per cent more; those permitted at 30 per cent less than the population quota and sparsely populated areas allowed at 40 per cent less than population quota.


How counties would share out 70 new MPs

Mombasa (3)

Kwale (2)

Kilifi (4)

Mandera (1)

Meru (2)

Embu (1)

Machakos (3)

Makueni (1)

Kirinyaga (1)

Murang'a (1)

Kiambu (6)

Turkana (1)

Trans Nzoia (2)

Uasin Gishu (2)

Laikipia (1)

Nakuru (5)

Narok (3)

Kajiado (3)

Kericho (1)

Bomet (1)

Kakamega (2)

Bungoma (3)

 Siaya (1)

Kisumu (2)

Homa Bay  (1)

Nyamira (1)

Nairobi (16)