Experts call for 300 constituencies

Two statistics experts on Thursday proposed that the country should have a total of 300 constituencies. The experts had been called in to assist MPs meeting in Naivasha to make a decision on how the proposed 56 new seats would be spread across the country.

The MPs wanted them to break an impasse over the delimitation of constituencies, which is under the representation chapter.

They said this would safeguard the 18 constituencies that would have been lost if 56 constituencies were added. This, it was reported, would also ensure equality of vote and take care of the large geographical areas.

Resolution

On Thursday evening, PSC was preparing resolution to entrench 300 constituencies and a 90:10 deviation rule for population in relation to geographical area in the representation chapter.

But the MPs suffered a setback after the Interim Independent Boundaries Review Commission, headed by Mr Andrew Ligale, declined to honour an invitation to attend a session as experts. Mr Ligale accused the PSC of trying to interfere with their work, which had been mandated by Parliament.

The PSC had on Wednesday shelved debate on the chapter after it emerged that they could not conclusively decide on the principles to be entrenched in the document.

Prof Peter Aduol of the University of Nairobi and Mr Johnstone Sakaja were asked to help the MPs understand how their proposal to add 56 new constituencies would affect the existing ones.

There have been reports that at least 19 existing constituencies would have to be merged if the proposal to add the 56 constituencies was adopted.

The proposal, adopted after being tabled by an ODM minister, was among six that were moved on Wednesday. All constituencies were grouped according to the 71 districts of 1999. Sources indicated that initial submissions by the experts revealed that the constituencies to be affected were in 15 districts.

The two experts are said to have been asked to advise on how the loss of the 19 constituencies could be avoided. The MPs also sought opinion on how many constituencies could be added to avoid the loss of the constituencies and to ensure that sparsely populated areas were not disadvantaged.

No mandate

Prof Aduol and Mr Sakaja were also asked to advise on which deviation principle should be applied in urban, rural and sparsely populated areas to ensure equality of vote while safeguarding the interests of geographically large areas.

Mr Ligale described as “dangerous and alarming” PSC’s move to draw constituencies and other boundaries. He said the PSC had no mandate to decide on representation.

“Deciding the representation of the people is not about a few individuals sitting in a room with pencils to draw lines on a map. It is important to ask people what works for them, and what does not,” Mr Ligale said.