Government Printer finally publishes elections law

A law that will establish a team that will manage the next General Election has finally been published, ending anxiety that there was a move to delay the polls.

Government Printer Andrew Rukaria denied reports that his office had refused to publish the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Act, saying the document had been published and was retailing at Sh150 per copy at the Government Press bookshop.

“I don’t know what they are talking about; the document is in our bookshops and it is retailing at Sh150. The Attorney General was given his copy, ask him,” Mr Rukaria told the Nation on phone.

A source at the Government Printer’s bookshop confirmed that they had received the first batch of copies on Monday morning.

Growing anxiety

“We started receiving them this (Monday) morning so you can send your people for copies,” said the source who asked not to be named for fear of antagonising his superiors.

Anxiety has been growing following the delay in publishing the Act, which was assented to by the President on July 5.

Speaking separately at the weekend, Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi and Lands Minister James Orengo accused “conservative forces” at the Office of the President of deliberately delaying the publication of the Bill. (READ: Officials ‘delaying elections Bill’)

Mr Mudavadi claimed that those charged with implementing the new law were still suffering from “hangovers of bad political practices.”

Mr Orengo accused the “powerful forces” of planning to interfere with the next General Election by ensuring that the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), which will oversee the polls, is not established in good time.

Attorney General Amos Wako and Justice Minister Mutula Kilonzo had also expressed surprise at the Government Printer’s failure to publish the law.

The publication of the Act now clears the way for the appointment of commissioners to the body that will manage the next General Election.

The law gives the two principals two weeks to name a panel of seven members, which has to be approved by Parliament before the IEBC commissioners are picked.