Reforms to be based on Bomas Draft, says PM

The Bomas Draft constitution is among documents that will form the basis for jump-starting the constitutional review, Prime Minister Raila Odinga has said.

Mr Odinga said the new constitution would provide for a devolved system of Government for equitable distribution of national resources.

“Work on the new constitution is set to start next year and it will be based on the Bomas Draft,” he said on Friday.

The Bomas Draft provided for a Prime Minister with powers and a ceremonial President. It also proposed devolution of power from the Central Government to regions.

Messing up

Mr Odinga said the Government was not going to pay Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) commissioners any compensation.

“In fact if anything they are the ones who are supposed to pay the Government for messing up last year’s general elections,” he said.

The PM, who was speaking at Mbale Town, during the Vihiga cultural festival, also said the new voters cards and national IDs were going to be issued beginning next month. He was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi and Lands minister James Orengo.

He said the two exercises would be held ahead of the national referendum on the new constitution. “The new registration of voters will help guide the review of constituency boundaries,” he said.

Voters registers
The PM said that voters registers would be reviewed because the current ones had defects which include 1.2 million dead voters.

Mr Mudavadi said the ultimate prize the Government would give Kenyans was a new constitution. He said Kenyans should not go to the next polls with the same constitution that failed them last year.

“A new constitution is the only way of changing this country for the better,” he said.

Mr Orengo called for tolerance during the constitution making to ensure Kenyans finally get a new document after several years of failed attempts. The Ugenya MP said the new constitution would be a reality within a year.